Serbia indicts 13 for deadly canopy fall that fuelled mass protests
BELGRADE — Serbia’s public prosecutor on Monday indicted 13 people, including a former minister, over the collapse of a concrete canopy that killed 15 people last month and triggered weeks of massive anti-government protests.
The suspects were charged in the northern city of Novi Sad, where the collapse happened on Nov. 1, with committing a grave criminal act against public safety and irregular execution of construction work. If convicted, they face up to 12 years in prison.
In a statement, the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Novi Sad, said it had indicted officials and executives, including the former minister of infrastructure, his deputy, and the designers and supervisors of the reconstruction project.
“The indictment was brought … due to justified suspicion that they have committed a serious offence against general safety, … caused general danger … and (for) irregular and improper construction works,” it said.
The huge concrete canopy was part of a railway station building, which was renovated twice in recent years as part of a wider infrastructure deal with Chinese companies. Many in Serbia believe that the construction of the station was poorly executed due to widespread corruption, which led to the canopy’s collapse.
Consequently, Transport, Construction, and Infrastructure Minister Goran Vesic, Trade Minister Tomislav Momirovic, and the head of state-run Serbian Railways have resigned over the incident.
Students, opposition supporters, and the public have taken to the streets repeatedly after the accident, which they blamed on rampant government corruption and nepotism that resulted in shoddy construction. The government denies the allegations.
