On January 28th, Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic announced his resignation following a tragic incident where the canopy of a train station collapsed in a city, resulting in the deaths of 15 people. This incident sparked consecutive days of anti-corruption protests by the public. The maintenance project of the related train station was undertaken by a Chinese state-owned enterprise.
Vucevic stated during a press conference announcing his resignation, “I urge everyone to calm down and return to dialogue.” He revealed that the Mayor of Novi Sad, Milan Djuric, where the accident occurred, would also resign on Tuesday.
Vucevic has been the leader of the center-right Serbian Progressive Party in power since 2023 and became the Prime Minister in April 2024.
His resignation may lead to early parliamentary elections. The resignation needs to be confirmed by the Serbian parliament, which has 30 days to choose a new government or call for early elections.
Pro-government media in Serbia reported that President Aleksandar Vucic would attend a cabinet meeting on Tuesday evening to decide whether to appoint a new prime minister candidate or call for early elections.
The opposition parties stated that they would persist in demanding the formation of a transitional government to create conditions for free and fair elections. Vucic has faced allegations of misconduct in past elections.
Vucevic mentioned that the direct reason for his resignation was an assault on a female student in Novi Sad on Tuesday morning, allegedly by a member of his Serbian Progressive Party.
He said, “Every time it seems there is hope to restore social dialogue and engage in communication… it is as if an invisible hand creates a new event, escalating tensions once again.”
The outgoing Prime Minister expressed that street protests were “undoubtedly” organized from abroad with the aim of directly harming the country of Serbia. However, he did not provide evidence to support his claims. President Vucic has previously made similar statements.
Last November, a roof collapse incident at a train station in Novi Sad, the second largest city in northern Serbia, led to the deaths of 15 people, including two children. This incident became a catalyst for growing dissatisfaction with President Vucic’s increasingly authoritarian rule.
After the accident, students and other protesters across Serbia held 15-minute traffic blockades at 11:52 a.m. daily, marking the time of the concrete roof collapse. The 15 minutes were dedicated to honoring the 15 victims.
In the past, Vucic has tried to mitigate the impact of anti-government street protests, but the current student movement has gained extensive support from various sectors, including actors, farmers, lawyers, and judges.
On Monday, tens of thousands of people joined university students in a 24-hour blockade at a key traffic intersection in the capital city of Serbia.
Protesters demand accountability from the government for the train station roof collapse incident, attributing it to rampant corruption within the government.
To further ease tensions, Vucic, Vucevic, and parliament spokesperson Ana Bulnabic called for dialogue with the students on Monday evening, but so far the students have refused such invitations.
Serbian prosecutors have charged 13 individuals, including a government minister and several state officials. However, former Minister of Construction Goran Vesic has been released, raising questions about the independence of the investigation.
Surveillance footage from the collapse showed the massive roof of the station building collapsing, hitting people sitting on benches or entering the station, raising concerns about the quality of the roof structure.
The main train station in Novi Sad underwent two renovations in recent years. The renovation, led by the Chinese state-owned companies China Railway International Co., Ltd. (CRIC) and China Communications Construction Company Ltd. (CCCC), was part of the upgrade of Serbia’s railway infrastructure.
According to BNN Bloomberg, the resigned Minister of Construction Vesic stated that the recent works on the station were undertaken by dozens of construction companies from China, Serbia, and Hungary.
The renovation project was completed in two phases. The first phase finished in March 2022, with President Vucic of Serbia and Prime Minister Orban of Hungary attending the inauguration of the new train station. The Novi Sad station serves as a major transfer point for the planned fast train line between Belgrade and Budapest. The second phase of renovations continued until July 2024, with authorities announcing the completion of the station’s reconstruction “in accordance with European standards.”
Although President Vucic and resigned Minister Vesic have stated that the roof was not part of the recent renovation works, local experts have informed Serbian media that the renovation might have caused changes in the building structure, indirectly leading to the roof collapse.
The roof collapse incident has once again brought attention to the quality of work by Chinese contractors. Chinese companies have been very active in Central and Eastern Europe in recent years.