Serbia Marks Deadly Roof Collapse With Mass Protests; Hungarian Students Barred From Entry

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief

NOVI SAD/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Tens of thousands of protesters rallied in Serbia’s northern city of Novi Sad on Saturday to mark one year since a railway station roof collapse killed 16 people — an accident many blame on government corruption and negligence.

Crowds filled the streets despite reports that authorities, including border guards, attempted to block demonstrators from reaching the city.

The protest movement has shaken President Aleksandar Vučić’s long hold on power and intensified calls for early elections.

16 MINUTES OF SILENCE

At 11:52 a.m. local time — the exact moment of last year’s collapse — demonstrators held 16 minutes of silence, one for each victim.

Witnesses said participants arrived by car, bus, bicycle, or on foot, many walking long distances to join one of Serbia’s largest protests in recent memory.

The tragedy on November 1, 2024, occurred during renovation work at the Novi Sad railway station. No senior officials have yet been prosecuted, fueling public anger over what critics call a climate of impunity surrounding state-linked construction contracts.

HUNGARIAN STUDENTS TURNED BACK

There was also anger that Hungarian university students attempting to attend the memorial were detained and humiliated at the Serbian border, according to the Hungarian Student Union (Hasz).

Students said they were held for hours, subjected to invasive checks, and denied entry without explanation. “After an incredibly long ordeal, we were still not allowed to enter,” said Anna Horváth, a Hasz member. “They even confiscated harmless items like walkie-talkies and stickers.”

Several students were reportedly labeled a “national security threat” and given official refusal notices. Only eleven of roughly thirty were eventually permitted to cross, while others were turned back. Two young women were ordered to strip during inspections, witnesses said.

SILENT VIGIL IN BUDAPEST

The Hungarian students later announced a silent vigil outside the Serbian Embassy in Budapest at 7:52 p.m. local time, mirroring the 16-minute silence in Novi Sad.

Organizers condemned the border incident as “deeply disturbing,” stressing their visit had been “purely peaceful and symbolic.”

Protesters in both countries say the Novi Sad collapse has come to symbolize the broader struggle against corruption and abuse of power in Serbia — a movement that continues to test the country’s political establishment.

Latest Worthy News