The fatal roof collapse of Novi Sad’s train station killed 15 people and sparked protests last month.
Serbian prosecutors have charged 13 people, including a former transport minister, over the fatal shooting train station roof collapse in the northern city of Novi Sad last month.
Prosecutors filed the indictment Monday after the Nov. 1 crash left 15 people dead.
The concrete canopy of the newly renovated roof collapsed, killing 14 people instantly while the 15th died in hospital a few weeks later. The victims ranged in age from 6 to 74 years old.
Public outrage over the tragedy has sparked regular nationwide protests, with many blaming the deaths on corruption and insufficient oversight of construction projects.
The government denies these allegations.
In a statement Monday, the Novi Sad Higher Prosecutor’s Office said it had indicted officials and executives, including the former infrastructure minister, his deputy and the designers and supervisors of the reconstruction project.
“The indictment was filed…due to justified suspicion that they had committed a serious offense against general security…caused general danger…and [for] irregular and inappropriate construction work,” he said.
Former Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Goran Vesic was among those charged. However, in accordance with Serbian law, the indictment identified the defendants only by their initials.
Vesic, along with Trade Minister Tomislav Momirovic and the head of Serbian Railways, resigned following the incident.
On November 4, Vesic said he would resign but could not accept responsibility for the accident.
On November 21, police arrested 11 people in connection with the accident, including Vesic, whom the court released on November 27.
Prosecutors requested that all 10 people currently in custody in connection with the incident remain in custody and that three people who had been released pending investigation be returned to custody.
Serbia’s populist president, Aleksandar Vucic, said those responsible must be held to account.
The latest demonstration following the disaster brought together tens of thousands of people in the capital, Belgrade.
The demonstrators demand that the authorities assume their responsibilities, that the Prime Minister resign and that those responsible be prosecuted.
Students also joined the protests, halting activities at most universities in Serbia for a month, calling for a transparent investigation and accountability.
