Protests in Serbia Over Station Collapse

The Minister of Interior, Ivica Dačić, stated that at least six police officers and a large number of citizens were injured in clashes near party offices in Novi Sad and other cities. Vučić clarified that 64 injuries were recorded at the party headquarters on Liberation Avenue in Novi Sad, asserting that the police have reinforced their presence to restore order. According to him, the number of demonstrators across Serbia was limited, with 3,084 people in Belgrade and its suburbs, and 1,695 people in Novi Sad, noting that 16 police officers were injured, including two seriously in Belgrade. These protests follow the collapse of a canopy at the railway station in Novi Sad on November 1, 2024, which resulted in 16 deaths. On August 1, the public prosecutor for organized crime arrested 12 people, including former Minister of Construction Tomislav Momirović, other officials, and figures from contracting companies, on charges related to causing damage to the state treasury amounting to $115.5 million in the station reconstruction project. Government-aligned media and some officials accused them, while Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabić described the interrogation methods as “Gestapo-like.” On December 30, 2024, former Minister Goran Vesić and 12 others were formally charged, with thousands of government documents related to the project published. Despite authorities inviting the opposition for dialogue, the latter still refuses to respond.