Tens of thousands of citizens, students, and families gathered in Novi Sad yesterday to mark one year since the tragic collapse of the railway station canopy that killed 16 people and injured dozens more.
At exactly 11:52 a.m. — the moment the structure gave way on 1 November 2024 — the crowd fell silent for sixteen minutes. Sixteen lanterns were released into the sky, flowers were laid in the Danube, and names of the victims were read aloud. The anniversary commemoration, the largest held nationwide, drew people from across Serbia, with smaller gatherings also taking place in Belgrade, Niš, Kragujevac, and Subotica.
Despite three separate investigations and recent indictments filed against 13 individuals, including engineers and former officials, no trial has yet begun. For many, the slow pace of justice has turned the tragedy into a symbol of systemic neglect and corruption in public infrastructure projects.
“It has been a year of silence and excuses,” said Dijana Hrka, mother of one of the victims, who announced she would begin a hunger strike. “We don’t want condolences — we want accountability.”
Students have been at the heart of the movement that grew from the tragedy, staging peaceful blockades of universities and streets across Serbia over the past year. At the Novi Sad gathering, student representatives addressed the crowd from Petrovaradin Fortress with a message that echoed far beyond the city: “Thank you for coming — we will see you every day until justice is served.”
Government officials have largely avoided public comment on the anniversary, though the Ministry of Construction stated last month that “all responsible institutions are cooperating with the prosecution.” That assurance has done little to calm public anger.
For many in Serbia, the collapse — and the year of protests that followed — have exposed a deeper crisis of trust in institutions, transparency, and oversight. What began as a demand for justice for 16 victims has evolved into a wider call for accountability in how the country builds, governs, and protects.
