Belgrade (AFP) – Thousands of people gathered in the rain in Novi Sad on Sunday to pay tribute to the victims of the disaster at the city's train station, which sparked the anti-government movement that overthrew the ruling right-wing party a week ago.

Published on: 01/11/2026 - 05:19 Modified on: 01/11/2026 - 14:31

The rally marked two years since the collapse of the concrete canopy of the recently renovated train station in Serbia's second city, which left 16 people dead, including two sisters aged six and ten.

Against a backdrop of national mourning and numerous questions about the renovation of this station, costing several million euros, the disaster sparked one of the largest demonstrations that Serbia has seen since the fall of Yugoslav strongman Slobodan Milosevic in 2000.

"It's difficult to return to the place where everything happened," Dijana Hrka, whose son Stefan, 27, was killed in the collapse, told AFP. “And each time it gets harder and harder,” she added.

In front of the station, hearts bearing the names of the victims had been placed. The crowd marched for hours, laying flowers and lighting candles.

At 11:52 a.m. (10:52 GMT), the exact time the concrete slab collapsed two years ago, those gathered observed 16 minutes of silence — one minute for each victim.

"The emotions are indescribable. I think everyone who comes here today will feel an energy mixing positive and negative emotions," Danijela, a 50-year-old resident of Novi Sad, told AFP in tears.

In search of justice

This year, the anniversary comes a week after the result of the early legislative elections, with the student movement, which emerged victorious, returning to the place where the first protests broke out.

In a statement read at the commemoration, the students argued that "tragedy is not the word that correctly describes what happened on November 1, 2024."

“Tragedy means accident. But behind this word, we can skillfully hide the one we are all looking for: responsibility,” they stressed.

“There is something in this place. You can feel the sadness in the air,” said Simona Sapcic, 18, from Subotica (north).

Having become a symbol during the protests, Dijana Hrka said her quest for justice had given her hope. “People's support meant a lot to me,” she said, reflecting on the past two years.

“People who support me, who sincerely want us all to obtain justice, together,” she added in tears, stressing that no one had yet been held responsible for the death of her son.

Indeed, it was demands for a transparent investigation that brought hundreds of thousands of people into the streets, playing a central role in Sunday's electoral victory.

The student-backed list won 140 of the National Assembly's 250 seats, enough to govern alone.

In the days following the recognition of its electoral defeat by Aleksandar Vucic's nationalist party, students demanded progress in numerous cases of corruption and high-profile murders, as well as new investigations into projects launched by the outgoing government.

The student movement also demanded the resignation of heads of major state agencies, including the police and intelligence services.

Investigations

Novi Sad resident Radovan Balac, 72, came to the commemoration "with a feeling of sadness, but also anger."

“Judicial proceedings have still not started to establish who is responsible for this crime,” he denounced.

Several investigations into the Novi Sad tragedy are underway. But no trial has started.

Former Construction Minister Goran Vesic, who resigned a few days after the collapse, was indicted in 2025, along with 12 others, for serious crimes against public security.

He is also a suspect in a separate corruption investigation into the financing of the project, alongside another former minister, Tomislav Momirovic.

The European Public Prosecutor's Office is separately investigating possible misappropriation of European Union (EU) funds linked to the renovation.

“If we manage to put them behind bars now, this will never happen again,” said Dijana Hrka.

"I hope this will be the last time we have to take to the streets in such large numbers because of a tragedy. That's all I hope," Stefan's mother concluded.

© 2026 AFP

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