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Serbia’s General Prosecutor’s Office reopens the case of the collapse of the railway station roof in Novi Sad

Medeea Stănescu

28 October 2026, 17:13

International

Foto: Shutterstock

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Serbia’s General Prosecutor’s Office will reexamine the case concerning the collapse of the roof at the Novi Sad train station, a tragedy that occurred on November 1, 2024, and claimed the lives of 16 people. The decision follows General Prosecutor Zagorka Dolovac’s establishment of a special commission to review stalled investigations.

The commission has five members and broad powers, including reviewing the activities of all prosecutors’ offices in Serbia. Its members may investigate possible criminal and economic offenses, violations of electoral legislation, and cases of abuse of power. The Novi Sad tragedy case is among the main cases of public interest to be reevaluated.

The roof collapse triggered mass protests in Serbia and contributed to the government’s fall. Experts and civil society representatives have linked the tragedy to corruption and the incompetence of the administration led by Aleksandar Vučić. Nearly two years after the incident, no one has been charged in the case.

Former Construction Minister Goran Vesić and several directors of the Serbian railway company were temporarily detained. The commission will also examine allegations that a sonic cannon was used against participants in a student protest held on March 15, 2025.

Context: the Novi Sad railway station tragedy fueled protests and led to massive political mobilization by students

The tragedy of the collapse of the roof of a railway station in Novi Sad in November 2024, which left 16 people dead, triggered widespread protests in Serbia, and protesters blamed the incident on corruption and the authorities' negligence. The student movement that subsequently emerged called for a Serbia free of corruption and mafia influence, while also demanding freedom, justice, and equality before the law.

Ahead of Sunday's parliamentary elections, hundreds of students and supporters organized marches in Belgrade, while approximately 150,000 people attended rallies, with the vote seen as a possible end to the more than 14-year rule of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), led by Aleksandar Vučić.

At the same time, against the backdrop of these tensions, the student movement called for the resignation of the leadership of Serbia's public television and radio broadcaster (RTS), accusing the station of bias and of broadcasting insulting remarks about protesters without critical analysis, after RTS allegedly stopped reporting on demonstrations on election night.