The blockade of the preliminary court in Novi Sad has entered its third day and with it, the number of police continues to grow.
Already, the pressure of the blockade combined with resistance to the demolition of the Old Sava Bridge, have forced the government to make concessions. The High Public Prosecutor of Novi Sad announced that 11 people have been arrested in connection to the collapse of the railway station awning that killed 15 people and critically injured two more.
The Prosecutor’s office announced that J. T., G. V., A. D., and N. Š. are suspected of committing the criminal offense of Serious Offense Against Public Safety under Article 288, Paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code, as well as the criminal offense of Causing General Danger under Article 278, Paragraph 3, in connection with Paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code.
The remaining suspects, S. N., M. J., Lj. M. M., M. S., D. J., M. G., and D. T., were charged with committing the criminal offense of Serious Offense Against Public Safety under Article 288, Paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code, in connection with the offense of Improper and Irregular Construction Works under Article 281, Paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code.
These criminal offenses carry a prison sentence of two to 12 years, the High Public Prosecutor’s Office in Novi Sad stated.
Amongst those supposedly arrested is the former Minister of Construction, Transportation and Infrastructure, Goran Vesić. Vesić resigned in the wake of the collapse of the railway station awning but stated in his resignation speech that he does not “feel an ounce of responsibility” for the tragedy.
On his Instagram profile, Vesić wrote about his alleged arrest, “I have not been arrested, I voluntarily responded to the call of police officers with whom I came to Novi Sad and made myself available to the authorities to fully investigate all the circumstances that led to the tragedy in Novi Sad. As always, I will remain available to the responsible authorities and will prove that I bear no criminal responsibility for these tragic events.”
Predstavnici opozicije se sukobili sa policijom ispred zgrade Suda i Tužilaštva u Novom Sadu. pic.twitter.com/3xLFrZXlCj
— Insajder TV (@Insajder_net) November 21, 2024
(Mile Sova)
