Novi Sad's Civic Groups: Monument Design for Canopy Collapse Victims is Peak Hypocrisy

Novi Sad's civic groups are voicing strong opposition to the recently unveiled conceptual design for a monument honoring those who perished in the tragic canopy collapse at the city's railway station. Zborovi Novog Sada issued a statement expressing horror that artists would participate in what they deem a "monstrous attempt" to sanitize the memory of the event, presenting it as a mere accident rather than a consequence of systemic failure and corruption.

The civic groups argue that the proposed design, which features a simple stone slab, is not only "morbid" but also serves the interests of the current regime by downplaying the severity of the incident. They contend that such a monument would be an "open provocation" to the citizens of Novi Sad and Serbia, failing to acknowledge the lack of accountability for the lives lost. The group insists that a monument should serve as a powerful, vocal reminder of the dangers of corruption and injustice, rather than a passive memorial.

Instead of a "quiet reminder," Zborovi Novog Sada demands a monument that "loudly warns" against allowing corruption in power to claim innocent lives again. They believe that the current design, focusing on "ambient experience and personal interpretations," is designed to obscure the truth and protect those responsible. The silence and ambient nature of the proposed memorial, they argue, "only suits those whose hands are bloody."