‘We don’t feel safe’: Serbs lash out after fatal roof collapse

For years, Serbian leaders boasted about launching a construction wave across the country that had ushered in a new era of prosperity in the Balkan country.

But after the death of 14 people After a train roof collapsed last week, authorities have unleashed a new wave of anger. That public outcry has largely focused on reports of alleged cuts to construction projects, reports that have given many a new sense of vulnerability.

On Tuesday evening, more than 20,000 protesters gathered in the city of Novi Sad, outside the train station where the fatal incident took place. Many in the crowd chanted “Prison, prison!” while waving signs that read, “How many more dead children?”

“We have been unhappy as a people for a long time,” 30-year-old Djordje Mitrovic told AFP during the meeting. “We are not living well. We are not feeling well… And now we are not feeling safe either.”

Under mounting public pressure, Construction Minister Goran Vesic resigned on Tuesday, citing his ministry’s oversight of development projects.

However, Vesic refused to “accept blame for the deaths of fourteen people.”

The central train station in Novi Sad underwent a three-year renovation that was completed in July, although Serbian Railways said the collapsed exterior roof was not part of that work.

Construction was carried out by a Chinese consortium consisting of China Railway International Co. Ltd and China Communications Construction Company Ltd.

Authorities have promised to investigate.

‘Land of cranes’

After years of war in the 1990s, followed by attempts to give Serbia new impetus economythe Serbian Progressive Party led by President Aleksandar Vucic was elected over a decade ago, promising a new era of stability in the country.

In the decade that followed, the promised renewal was most visible in the series of projects that Vucic and the party launched across the country – including bridges, roads and a massive waterfront development in the capital Belgrade.

Vucic often boasted that he had turned Serbia into “a land of cranes”.

But following the fatal accident in Novi Sad, analysts have warned that Vucic’s political asset is now in danger of turning into a liability.

“When part of a building that has stood for 50 years collapses shortly after renovation, the safety of newly built, expanded and restored public structures becomes a matter of common sense,” sociologist Dario Hajric told AFP.

Following the roof collapse, people both on the streets and on social media have questioned the safety of several new projects set to open in the coming years, including an underground metro network and a bridge in Belgrade.

“When we walk through the city today, we have to think about whether something will fall on our heads,” opposition figure Stevan Babic told reporters.

‘It’s a direct result of that corruptionrigged tenders and crony relationships,” added Ana Oreg, a member of parliament and resident of Novi Sad.

‘Responsibility’

Vucic visited Novi Sad late on Tuesday, shortly after the protest, and stressed that the government has taken all necessary steps to punish those responsible for the tragedy at the train station.

“No one will escape responsibility if he has made a mistake,” Vucic vowed.

Since the accident, prosecutors in Novi Sad have questioned more than 50 people, including Vesic and Serbian Railways officials.

The Public Prosecution Service has also collected documents as part of its investigation into the cause of the disaster and who may be responsible.

Ultimately, however, the transparency of the investigation may serve as the true litmus test when it comes to regaining public trust.

In findings published earlier this year, Transparency International warned that Serbia was “witnessing a democratic decline, with the autocratic government using special laws to limit transparency in large-scale projects.”

Many observers are concerned that officials will now avoid responsibility for the train station accident.

“The authorities do not need the truth, but rather a version of reality in which they are not to blame,” said sociologist Hajric.

Source: AFP