A sea of people filled the streets of Novi Sad today, marking one year since a catastrophic collapse at the city’s railway station claimed 16 lives. The somber anniversary has become a focal point for a sustained, youth-driven movement that continues to channel public grief into demands for political accountability and reform.
Commemorations began precisely at 11:52 AM, the moment the station’s canopy gave way last November. A sixteen-minute silence was observed in the city’s main square, a tribute for each victim, as mourners laid flowers and candles near the still-damaged site. The tragedy has ignited the most significant youth-led political mobilization in the country in decades, evolving from calls for a transparent investigation into broader denunciations of systemic corruption and demands for early elections.
In a powerful display of solidarity, some participants completed a 16-day march from Novi Pazar, over 300 kilometers away, arriving to cheers and the sound of whistles from residents. “I am here to honor the most powerful force we have—our students, our young people,” said one local attendee.
Facing this persistent public pressure, President Aleksandar Vučić, who has previously dismissed demonstrators as foreign-backed agitators, struck a notably conciliatory tone in a televised address ahead of the memorial. “I have spoken words that I now regret,” he stated, calling for societal dialogue. “This simmering hatred brings no good, only further ruin.”
The government has declared a national day of mourning. The disaster’s aftermath continues to reverberate through the courts, with 13 individuals, including a former construction minister, now facing criminal charges related to the collapse. Separate anti-corruption and EU-funded audits into the station’s renovation are ongoing.
International observers note the protests have largely been peaceful, though sporadic clashes with police have occurred. The European Union’s commissioner for enlargement remarked that the event has mobilized citizens around core democratic values, which she described as the very foundation for the country’s path toward EU membership. The sustained public movement underscores a deep-seated desire for change as the nation reflects on a year of loss and reckoning.