Novi Sad tragedy: unjustified use of force against politicians and citizens unacceptable

On 1 November 2024, as a result of the collapse of the concrete canopy of the main railway station in Novi Sad, Serbia, 15 people tragically perished. Renew Europe Group MEPs express their deepest condolences to the families and friends of the victims, as well as to the people of Serbia who have the right to know the cause of the tragedy. The lack of transparency in the investigation has led to protests, resulting in excessive and unjustified use of force against parliamentarians and citizens.

Three weeks after the tragedy, with no substantive answers from the investigation and insufficient accountability despite some vague arrests, the frustration and anger of the Serbian people is understandable.

Helmut Brandstätter (NEOS, Austria), member of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs and Renew Europe spokesperson for Serbia, said:

"The people of Serbia have very specific questions, they need to know whether negligence and corruption have led to this tragedy. People have the right to be angry and to protest against the lack of transparency in the investigation. Restricting freedom of expression or using excessive and unjustified force against politicians and citizens is unacceptable. Those who protested peacefully and were illegally detained or arrested should be released immediately."