Grief and Outrage in Serbia One Year After Railway Station Disaster

Sun Nov 02 2025 04:10:00 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A commemorative gathering in Novi Sad marks the tragic collapse of a train station canopy, emphasizing the ongoing anger and calls for accountability from the government.

On the anniversary of the Novi Sad railway station tragedy that claimed 16 lives, thousands gathered to remember the victims. This event highlighted not just the grief of families but also the persistent anger towards governmental negligence and corruption. Despite previous protests, student-led demonstrations are gaining traction, demanding accountability and political reform amidst accusations of corruption surrounding the incident.

A sea of people flowed along the roads leading up to Novi Sad railway station. They came in their tens of thousands to remember the 16 people who died there this time last year, on another unseasonably warm and sunny autumn day.

The victims were standing or sitting underneath a concrete canopy at the recently-renovated facility, when it collapsed. The two youngest were just six years old, the oldest, 77.

Regular protests have rocked Serbia in the 12 months that have followed. But on Saturday morning, the huge crowd participated in an event that put the emphasis on quiet commemoration.

At 11:52 (10:52 GMT), the time of the disaster, they observed a silence for 16 minutes - one for each of the victims. Family members cried. One woman needed to be physically supported by men wearing the red berets of armed forces veterans.

After the silence, relatives laid flowers at the front of the station. The rubble of the collapsed canopy has been cleared away, but otherwise, the building appears to have remained untouched since the disaster.

Twisted metal protruding from the walls and broken glass still offer evidence of the catastrophe.

Novi Sad station was supposed to be a symbol of Serbia's progress, under President Aleksandar Vučić's Progressive Party. Its angular, Yugoslav-era form had been upgraded as part of a high-speed railway project. However, after the disaster, it stands as an example of everything that is wrong in Serbia.

The government faced public outrage, with thousands marching in the streets with placards reading corruption kills. University students have taken a leadership role in the protests, calling for fresh elections and demanding a government free from corruption.

This year has seen key players charged in relation to the tragedy. The government's denials of corruption contrast with public sentiment, as anger and grief coalesce into a strong demand for institutional change.

While the day was marked with remembrance, the anger towards the government and its failings continues to simmer, indicating that this tragedy remains a pivotal point for accountability in Serbia.