One Year Later: Serbia Remembers the Tragedy of Novi Sad Train Station

Sun Nov 02 2025 15:21:12 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

As Serbia commemorates the tragic collapse at the Novi Sad train station, anger and protests persist, reflecting deep societal divisions and a call for change amidst rising tensions.

On the anniversary of the tragic roof collapse at Novi Sad railway station, which claimed 16 lives, thousands gathered to remember the victims. While the day focused on mourning, it also highlighted ongoing protests against the government, driven by public outrage over perceived corruption and safety failures. A new student-led movement has emerged, demanding accountability and reforms in the wake of the disaster.

A sea of people flowed along the roads leading up to Novi Sad railway station. They came in their tens of thousands to remember the 16 people who died there this time last year, on another unseasonably warm and sunny autumn day.

The victims were standing or sitting underneath a concrete canopy at the recently-renovated facility when it collapsed. The two youngest were just six years old, the oldest, 77.

Regular protests have rocked Serbia in the 12 months that have followed. But on Saturday morning, the huge crowd participated in an event that put emphasis on quiet commemoration.

At 11:52 (10:52 GMT), the time of the disaster, they observed a silence for 16 minutes - one for each of the victims. Family members cried. One woman needed to be physically supported by men wearing the red berets of armed forces veterans.

After the silence, relatives laid flowers at the front of the station. The rubble of the collapsed canopy has been cleared away, but otherwise, the building appears to have remained untouched since the disaster. Twisted metal protruding from the walls and broken glass still offer evidence of the catastrophe.

Novi Sad station was supposed to be a symbol of Serbia's progress, under President Aleksandar Vučić's Progressive Party. The country's second city would be a key stop on the high-speed railway line whipping passengers from Belgrade to Budapest in less than three hours.

However, after another renovation and the disaster that followed, the station stands as the prime example of everything that is wrong in Serbia. For the government's flagship infrastructure project to prove deadly to its citizens was more than many people could bear. They took to the streets, carrying placards reading corruption kills.

The student-led anti-corruption protests have persisted, with students taking a leadership role, distancing themselves from traditional political parties. They are now demanding fresh elections and accountability for the disaster, with ongoing charges against high-level officials.

The discontent leading into the commemoration highlighted the enduring anger residents feel towards the government. Political analysis suggests that the student movement has gained traction where traditional opposition parties have failed, shaking the regime's grip on public sentiment.

While the commemorative activities sought to bring a sense of closure, the situation in Serbia remains tense, as citizens express their rage and disappointment in the aftermath of the tragedy.