Opposition Serbian MPs blocked Novi Sad’s prosecutor’s office and courts Tuesday, demanding the release of politicians and activists held over protests at the collapse of the city railway station, in which 15 people died.
Scuffles broke out between the police and MPs and members of Novi Sad’s City Assembly who are demanding answers after the tragedy two weeks ago.
The concrete roof at the Novi Sad station collapsed on November 1, killing 14 people, aged between six and 74, and badly injuring three others.
One of the injured died on Sunday, while doctors are still fighting to save the lives of the other two.
The collapse happened just months after the completion of years-long renovation work at the main station of Serbia’s second-largest city.
“Nineteen days have passed since Novi Sad experienced the greatest tragedy in its history, and none of those responsible for the deaths of 15 people have been arrested,” said former mayor Borislav Novakovic.
“At the same time, those who sought justice are now in custody,” he added as he took part in the blockade.
“The prosecutor’s office and the courts are not doing their job,” Novakovic told reporters.
The tragedy sparked uproar across Serbia and demonstrations in both Novi Sad and the capital, Belgrade, with protesters demanding the politicians resign as well as criminal cases against those directly responsible for the tragedy.
Construction Minister Goran Vesic resigned days later but the protests have continued, with demonstrators calling on the prime minister and the mayor of Novi Sad to resign amid claims of corruption and lax oversight of construction and development projects.
So far prosecutors have questioned more than 70 people, including Vesic, but there have been no arrests.
But several people who took part in a protest about the tragedy in Novi Sad on November 5 were held by police.
Among them are city councillor Misa Baculov and Goran Jesic, a former official of the provincial government of Vojvodina, whose capital is Novi Sad.
Serbia’s justice ministry condemned the blockade, saying “the obstruction of prosecutors and judges in Novi Sad represents the harshest form of pressure on judicial authorities,” the statement said.
