Aktakuza against 13 people after the railway station's roof collapsed, former minister Goran Vesiq among them

Among the accused is former Minister of Construction Goran Vesic.

The prosecution's announcement reportedly has been filed due to alleged allegations that the defendants committed qualified criminal acts such as “grave acts against general security” under the Penal Code.

The prosecution has proposed to the Supreme Court in Novi Sad that it appoints detention for the accused, being called on the major public concern that could affect the smooth and fair development of the judicial process, as well as the risk of repeating criminal work.

The Act includes former officials from the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure, former company director “Serbia Railways Infrastructure”, construction designers, engineers responsible for the construction permit project, construction supervisors, and individuals responsible for technical control and execution of the works.

According to the indictment, the responsibilities have allowed the use of the public facility ) the railway station building in Novi Sad, B wing, even though reconstruction works were still under way and the object had not received permission of use. In addition, they are accused of failing to maintain the structure before reconstruction and of irregularities during the design and execution phase of the works.

“For protecting the interests of the injured, the prosecution has proposed that the court recognise the property-juridical demands of authorised parties. It has also been proposed that all accused are prohibited from exercising relevant functions and activities, as well as being forced to cover full costs of criminal procedure”, the report said.

A few days after the cover collapse, Goran Vesiq resigned, claiming he was not guilty, but that he was acting as a responsible “man”. He said that during his mandate only the final project of the works at the railway station, which, according to him, was not approved by the ministry he headed.

Vesic and other officials had stressed immediately after the tragedy that the collapsed cover was not included in the station's reconstruction project.

Just four months after the completion of the work and the solemn opening, in November 2024, the collapse of the railway station's roof caused the death of 16 people and another person's serious injury.

This tragedy sparked a wave of massive anti-government protests across Serbia. Over the past nine months, hundreds of thousands of citizens have taken to the streets with the main requirement for criminal and political responsibility for the event.

At the centre of the protests have been allegations that the cover collapse was a consequence of corruption. / REL/