Thousands seek Serbian PM' resignation over railway station deaths
Europe
By
AFP
| Nov 12, 2024
Several thousand people demonstrated on Monday evening in Belgrade to call for the resignation of Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic following a fatal train station roof collapse.
The protest in the Serbian capital came 10 days after the accident killed 14 in the northern city of Novi Sad's train station, which had just completed a years-long renovation month earlier.
With minors among the dead, the accident sparked uproar across Serbia. Many protesters accuse the political class of nepotism and corruption, as well as lax oversight on construction and development projects.
Braving the cold and pouring rain to heed the opposition's call to join Monday's rally, protesters chanted for those responsible to be locked up, AFP journalists saw.
"They weren't victims of an accident; it wasn't an accident. They were killed. They were killed by corruption, by criminality," lawyer Jovan Rajic told the crowd from a podium.
READ MORE
Standoff at East Africa Portland Cement as employees protest against new management
Kenya, Madagascar Partner to Boost Horticulture and Jobs
Top 10 most reliable and budget-friendly cars in Kenya
End of an era as Mastermind Tobacco to go under the hammer
2024: Year of layoffs as businesses struggle to stay afloat
Kenyans cautious on cryptos amid global surge
Beyond the bottom line: How family values drive business resilience
US Fed rate cut: Why it matters to Kenya, the world
One billion users, but controversies mount up for TikTok
Debate on diaspora bond sparks mixed reactions among Kenyans
Pavle Cicvanovic of the student "Borba" (meaning "Combat") group said that those "whose hands are stained with blood, who commit crimes and have no shame are in power".
Construction Minister Goran Vesic resigned on Friday, but the protests have continued nonetheless.
Around 20,000 people gathered in Novi Sad on Friday for a demonstration that was marred by incidents.
Fourteen people accused of attacking the town hall, smashing windows and throwing incendiary objects were arrested.
Calling for their release, student activist Cicvanovic said: "Those who demanded accountability ended up in prison... while those responsible for killing people are walking among us."
Speaking to a government-friendly television station in the evening, Prime Minister Vucevic accused the opposition of "abusing the tragedy" and of wishing "to take power without elections".
He also announced further resignations in the name of accountability "in the coming days".
"What has happened is horrible and we cannot just ignore it. It is obvious that there have been failings," said Vucevic.