Outgoing Minister of Construction, Transport, and Infrastructure, Goran Vesic, stated that accountability for the tragedy in Novi Sad should be sought among the investors and designers, as well as those responsible for the construction and oversight of the railway station reconstruction in that city.
Vesic explained that, according to the Planning and Construction Law, authorities responsible for issuing building permits do not engage in technical specifications but instead ensure that all conditions are met and that the law is followed.
“This process was conducted by the ministry, and from this perspective, none of my predecessors could have been involved in the project planning or execution, as that is the responsibility of the investor. During my tenure, only one document was issued—the final project for the construction work. This document isn’t even approved by the ministry, and the entire project was authorized, which also falls outside the ministry’s jurisdiction,” Vesic explained in an interview with Euronews yesterday.
When asked about who was responsible for selecting the companies involved in the project, Vesic pointed to a consortium of Chinese companies: “China Railway International Company” and “China Communications Construction Company.”
“They have been the contractors since 2017, under an agreement where Serbian Railway Infrastructure is the investor, and the financing comes from the respective ministry. Under this contract, they select subcontractors,” Vesic stated.
This consortium of Chinese companies was chosen in 2017 based on an intergovernmental agreement, and Vesic emphasized that “China Railway International Company” is a global leader in railway infrastructure construction.
He added that “a designer can never foresee everything, especially when dealing with older structures.”
“When a contractor observes that conditions on-site differ from the project specifications, they are obligated to halt work and notify the oversight team, who must then consult the designer to prepare an additional project,” Vesic explained.
He noted that Serbia does not adequately maintain public facilities, but it has been Serbian Railway Infrastructure’s responsibility to supervise the Novi Sad Railway Station since its construction in 1964.
Currently, the Novi Sad railway station is closed, and a comprehensive review of the structure’s stability is underway.
On November 1, the collapse of the canopy at Novi Sad Railway Station resulted in the tragic death of 14 people and left three others seriously injured. Goran Vesic resigned from his ministerial role on Tuesday following the incident.
