In Novi Sad on Sunday, the second anniversary of the deaths of 16 people in the collapse of a canopy at the recently renovated railway station is being marked. The canopy collapsed on 1 November 2024 at 11.52, and a commemorative gathering called by a student movement will be held symbolically at the same time.
The canopy collapsed under the weight of concrete, glass and poorly executed works. Under tons of concrete and glass, 14 mostly young people were killed almost instantly, and two further victims died in the following days and months. One girl survived with permanent consequences. Among the dead are four children aged six, 10, 16 and 17.
Gatherings at several locations in the city began around 9.30, and citizens will march towards the site of the accident to pay their respects to the victims. A memorial service for the victims in the St Sava Church in Belgrade is being conducted by Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
The tragedy triggered a wave of anti-government protests against corruption, early elections and the fall of the government. Protesters, led by students, see the culprits in the corrupt business dealings of the authorities, abuses and negligence. Under public pressure following the accident, arrests followed, including several ministers and their associates.
To date, despite indictments that have been changed and supplemented, no one has been brought to court. The second anniversary thus passes in the shadow of dissatisfaction with the slow judicial process, while the families of the victims continue to wait for accountability for the most severe infrastructure disaster in the region's recent history.
