16 Wreaths Mark Anniversary of Novi Sad Station Collapse
A week after student candidates ousted long-time Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, thousands gathered in the rain to honor the victims of the 2024 disaster that sparked a nationwide anti-corruption movement.
By Giulia Marshall ·
Thousands of students and supporters gathered in steady rain on Sunday to mark the second anniversary of a deadly infrastructure failure in Novi Sad. The ceremony commemorated 16 people who died on Nov. 1, 2024, when a concrete canopy at the railway station collapsed. This year’s memorial took place just one week after a student-led political list defeated the government of Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic in parliamentary elections.
The collapse of the station roof killed 14 people at the scene and two others later. A young woman survived the incident with life-changing injuries. Many residents attribute the failure to flawed renovation work driven by corruption and negligence within state projects. The renovation was part of a larger railway reconstruction involving China and Hungary. Vucic and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban toured the station in 2022 after the initial work was completed.
Participants brought 16 wreaths and 16 red hearts to the station building, representing each victim. The names of the deceased, which included children, were inscribed on the tributes. Attendees lit candles and observed a moment of silence. Unlike the first anniversary, which drew massive crowds while Vucic was still in power, this year’s event was characterized by a quieter tone and a sense of momentum following the recent election results.
A student speaker addressed the crowd, stating that the event was a murder that demands accountability and justice. She promised that the country’s youth would build a more just society and urged the public not to forget the victims. Since winning the election, the new student representatives have demanded a review of high-profile investigations, including the probe into the canopy collapse. Previously, 13 individuals, including a government minister, were charged, but no trial was held as the investigation stalled.
Prosecutors ordered the 48-hour detention of Marko Kricak, Vucic’s chief of criminal police, on Sunday. Another senior officer was also detained. Both are suspected of abusing their office in connection with a murder investigation. Kricak has been accused of orchestrating violence during student protests and personally threatening a female student with rape, allegations he has denied. The detention signals the new government’s intent to address alleged misconduct by former security officials.
An independent investigation by a group of experts found that the renovation work was rushed under political orders. The report alleged a systematic degradation of construction standards. It concluded that the state of Serbia violated its citizens' right to life. Authorities initially claimed the canopy had not been renovated, but protests began almost immediately after the collapse. Protesters blocked traffic daily across the country at 11:52 a.m., the exact time of the crash.
The student movement has promised to restore the rule of law and root out graft that flourished under the 14-year rule of Vucic’s Serbian Progressive Party. State television, RTS, broadcast the Sunday memorial following resignations among officials at the station in the post-election week. Commemoration ceremonies were also held in other cities and towns throughout Serbia.
Andreas von Beckerath, head of the European Union mission in Serbia, noted that the collapse shook the country to its core. He wrote on X that the tragedy moved citizens to demand transparency and accountability. He added that the memory of the victims should inspire a Serbia built on solidarity, public trust, and the rule of law.
