The tragic accident at a train station in Novi Sad, located approximately 100 kilometers northwest of Belgrade, occurred following repeated renovations tied to a broader agreement with Chinese construction firms. Critics have attributed the incident to poor construction standards, widespread corruption, and a lack of transparency in the project’s oversight.
“Goran Vesić is among those most responsible for the rampant corruption in construction, policies of secretive contracts with investors, and this has now resulted in human casualties,” said Radomir Lazović, co-leader of the opposition Green-Left Front party, in response to the incident.
Though indictments have been issued, critics argue that the investigation has fallen short in addressing the alleged corruption at the heart of this tragedy.
“While the government attempts to divert public attention, critical questions remain unanswered,” former Novi Sad Mayor Boris Novaković wrote in a post on X. “How is it possible that the indictment makes no mention of responsibility for the deaths of 15 people? Where is the evidence of corruption that costs us daily—not just financially, but in human lives?”
The Higher Prosecutor’s Office in Novi Sad, Serbia’s second-largest city, has charged former Transport Minister Goran Vesić in connection with the case. However, concerns about accountability and the root causes of the disaster persist.
The Novi Sad station is part of a larger 1,032-kilometer railway project designed to connect Budapest, Hungary, to Athens, Greece, as part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Despite the deadly incident on November 1, which resulted in significant casualties, the Serbian government remains committed to completing the project.
“If we work together, we will build a high-speed railway from Budapest through Belgrade, Skopje, and Thessaloniki,” Serbian Prime Minister PM Vučević stated. “This will link Central Europe to Greece and, by extension, the Mediterranean region of Europe.”
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