Novi Sad Canopy Collapse: Legal Process Stalled for 21 Months, Corruption Alleged

Twenty-one months after a canopy collapsed at the Novi Sad railway station, legal proceedings have made little progress, and responsibility for the tragedy remains undetermined. Dušan Dobromirov, a professor at the Faculty of Technical Sciences in Novi Sad and a member of the Inquiry Commission, believes the processes are designed to conceal the responsibility of the actual culprits.

Dobromirov described the court proceedings as resembling a "shell game," aimed at hiding accountability. He expressed hope for future changes that might bring justice. "It has become clear to everyone that responsibility for the canopy collapse will have to wait for some changes, which I hope are coming," Dobromirov stated.

He asserted that corruption was the root cause of the collapse. "Corruption, which was present through inflated prices, but also through substandard work because they were cutting corners and looking to profit at the expense of work quality," he explained.

Students and citizens are planning gatherings to mark 21 months since the canopy collapse, which killed 16 people. In Novi Sad, students will hold 16 minutes of silence outside the railway station at 11:52 AM, the time of the incident on November 1, 2024. Similar commemorations are scheduled in Niš and by students in Belgrade.