Thirteen people have been indicted in Serbia for their alleged roles in the reconstruction of a railway station whose roof collapsed last year, killing 16 people. The incident triggered nationwide student-led protests against government corruption, which was widely blamed for the collapse, putting President Aleksandar Vucic under immense political pressure.
Vucic’s government initially took credit for the reconstruction of the station, but attempted to wash its hands of responsibility after the collapse. It was only the latest in a series of fatal incidents that have fed public outrage over corruption and negligence in Vucic’s government, according to Stefan Antic, writing in WPR in May.
“Though a significant turning point, the tragedy was merely the latest demonstration of the corruption and negligence that have been hallmarks of Vucic’s ruling Progressive Party, or SNS, over the past decade,” Antic wrote.
Read more:
