People observe 16 minutes of silences as they pay respect to the victims in front of the Novi Sad train station during the commemoration in Novi Sad, Serbia, November 1 2025. Photo: EPA/ANDREJ CUKIC

Huge crowds of people held a 16-minute silent vigil at 11:52 a.m. in the city of Novi Sad on Saturday to commemorate the 16 people who died after a concrete canopy outside the busy railway station collapsed onto their heads at the exact same time one year ago.

Some people carried large red cardboard hearts bearing the names of the victims; others brought heart-shaped balloons. Many laid flowers in the plaza outside the station, which has been closed since the November 2024 disaster.

The tragedy sparked a nationwide outpouring of grief and a student-led mass protest movement demanding accountability from the authorities, who they accuse of negligence and corruption. Saturday’s commemoration is also being followed by a major protest.

Novi Sad residents were joined at the commemoration by masses of people from all over Serbia who streamed towards the city in cars and buses from the early morning.

Thousands of students and members of the public also walked long distances to Novi Sad on foot from various parts of the country to join the commemoration, including students from some Novi Pazar, 300 kilometres away. They were welcomed on Friday night by thousands of cheering locals.

Locals provided accommodation and offered food and beverages at improvised stands in the streets of the city.

“We are here because the students said they need support from the citizens, and we will always respond, whenever support is needed, especially when there are events such as commemorations or anything that helps make this society better,” one local, who gave his name as Zlatko, told BIRN.

He said that Novi Sad was still “in convulsions” over the disaster one year ago.

Ana Kolandjanin, who was bringing candles and flowers to the station, said she came from Belgrade to pay her respects and to “support all the young people in the hope that this will never happen again.

“And in order for this to never happen again, this evil must go from power,” she added. Student protesters have been demanding snap elections, but Serbia’s strongman leader, President Aleksandar Vucic, has refused.

Commemorations for the Novi Sad disaster victims were also being held in many other cities across the country on Saturday.

The Serbian authorities, who protesters have blamed for the disaster, announced day of mourning day. However, on Friday they cancelled all rail transport in the country – a move believed by protesters to be intended to hinder them from reaching Novi Sad by train. Rail transport was also suspended before two big protests in Belgrade in March and June.

On Friday evening, in a televised video message, President Vucic said that he understood that people want to gather to express their grief. “As long as it is done in a peaceful and lawful manner, with respect and consideration for other people, I fully support it,” he added.

No officials charged yet

Improvised stands in Novi Sad provide participants with food and beverages. Photo: BIRN/Katarina Baletic.

On November 1, 2024, at 11:52 a.m., the concrete canopy in front of the entrance to Novi Sad station collapsed. Twelve people died instantly, and four more passed away later as result of their injuries. One victim is still in hospital.

The victims were mostly young people – the youngest were sisters born in 2018 and 2014, while the oldest was born in 1947.

Mass protests erupted in the days after the disaster and a nationwide movement emerged, led by students, demanding accountability from the authorities.

Protesters accuse the authorities of allowing the deaths to happen through the negligent loosening of building regulations, corrupt management, lack of transparency and political pressure on major projects like the railway reconstruction, which officials claimed had delivered a ‘European standard’ station for Novi Sad.

The protests caused the biggest crisis in the country since the fall of Slobodan Milosevic 25 years ago, and posed the most serious challenge to Aleksandar Vucic since his party came to power in 2012. Vucic has accused the protesters of being subversives attempting to foment revolution.

Serbia’s Prime Minister Milos Vucevic resigned in January after a student protester was attacked. Two other ministers have also stepped down. However, although there are three investigations related to the disaster, no officials have yet been charged or sent to trial in connection with the 16 deaths.

Read BIRN’s coverage of a year of protests by downloading our free e-book ‘Serbia on the Streets’ here.