PARENTS, CHILDREN, SPOUSES: Families of victims in Novi Sad tragedy join the prosecution of those responsible!

The families of the victims of the Novi Sad accident are interested in joining the criminal prosecution of those responsible for the death of their loved ones. According to Forbes Serbia, this is evident from testimonies given before the prosecutor, which have been included in the indictment that the media outlet had access to.

Additionally, all families are seeking financial compensation for the tragedy they have endured. Most have not specified an amount, stating that they will decide on the compensation sum later in the process.

The indictment does not specify when each family member testified, but for those whose statements are included, it shows that testimonies were given in early to mid-December.

Parents of the victims, children, or spouses testified before the prosecutor.

Testimonies indicate that none of them had direct knowledge of the accident, as they were not present at the scene.

Tragic Collapse Kills 15, Leaves Two in Critical Condition

In the collapse of the canopy, 14 people were killed on the spot, while one later died in the hospital. Due to the massive weight of the collapsed structure, the victims sustained severe and fatal injuries. Two more people remain in the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Commission to Address Compensation Issues

Vida Petrović Škero, a member of the Inquiry Commission, announced that the group will analyze official documents, investigate irregularities, and determine responsibility for the tragedy. At the first press conference, she confirmed that the commission will also address compensation claims.

“This group, in which I will be working, focuses on civil legal responsibility—determining compensation, types of damages, and consequences of the canopy collapse, particularly those that should be covered by the budget of the Republic of Serbia,” Petrović Škero stated.

She emphasized the need for a systematic approach to compensating victims, highlighting three key legal issues, including compensation for families.

Tragedy Linked to Corruption?

“The first legal issue concerns compensation for material and non-material damages for victims of the canopy collapse, including families of the deceased and injured. A systematic method for victim compensation must be established.

Why? Because we have seen, in previous tragedies, that the victims—families of those killed—were left to navigate the legal system alone. Many still haven’t reached a final verdict.

When a tragedy occurs due to corruption, government negligence, or a lack of expertise, the state must provide an efficient and equal legal process for all victims,” Petrović Škero stated.

She added that Serbia has a history of unprofessional construction practices and legal violations, warning that similar accidents may happen again.

“The damage is enormous, yet nothing has been done about it—or the public simply hasn’t been informed,” she concluded.

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Indictment Against 13 People

Following an investigation, the prosecutor has filed an indictment against 13 individuals, including former Minister of Construction Goran Vesić and his assistant Anita Dimoski. Also indicted are the former director of Serbian Railways Infrastructure Jelena Tanasković and her predecessor Nebojša Šurlan.

Among the others indicted are:

CIP project designers,
The lead project designer responsible for construction permits,
A Republic Audit Commission officer,
Two responsible persons from the construction company,
Two individuals overseeing project supervision,
And a technical control officer for the Novi Sad train station reconstruction project.

Ten of them are in custody, while Jelena Tanasković and Anita Dimoski are under house arrest. Goran Vesić has not been detained.

Expert Analysis Reveals Key Failures

A forensic analysis conducted by professors from the Faculty of Technical Sciences in Novi Sad identified two critical issues that led to the collapse:

Severe corrosion on the roof of the train station, which significantly weakened the canopy’s structural integrity. Investigators determined that 40% of the canopy’s support rods were non-functional.
Excessive weight added to the canopy during renovation work. Experts found that old layers of material were not removed before adding new structural elements.

Additional metal and glass constructions were installed to enclose the canopy, which—along with previous structural modifications from the 1960s—added 23 tons of extra weight.

Experts concluded that critical engineering failures occurred during both the design and supervision phases, including the failure to assess the structure’s condition before renovations—despite the building’s age and complexity.