Senior Public Prosecutor Nenad Stefanović announced that following an efficiently executed pre-investigation and investigation, the Special Department for the Suppression of Corruption at the Senior Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade has filed an indictment against Slobodanka K., the Investment Development Manager of AD “Infrastruktura Železnica Srbije” based in Belgrade. The indictment also involves Milutin S., the President of the Commission for Technical Inspection of the Novi Sad Railway Station, and Commission member Biljana K. They are implicated in multiple criminal offenses involving corruption that led to the collapse of a canopy at the Railway Station on November 1, 2024, resulting in the deaths of 15 individuals and serious injuries to two others, according to reports from N1.

Stefanović highlighted a justified suspicion that their negligence played a significant role in the tragedy. Had they performed their duties with due diligence, especially during their extraordinary inspection and assessments before the trial operation, they would have likely detected visible signs of damage and excessive deflection on the canopy in the days leading up to its collapse.

“Slobodanka K. faces charges for Abuse of Official Position and Serious Offense Against Public Security as outlined in the Criminal Code. Meanwhile, Milutin S. and Biljana K. are charged with Negligent Work in Service and Serious Offense Against Public Security,” the prosecutor elaborated.

Suspension of the investigation for two Commission members

Stefanović indicated that a decision was made to suspend the investigation against Commission members Jelena V. and Marija NJ due to a lack of evidence proving their involvement in any prosecutable criminal offenses.

“The investigation revealed that the accused Commission members misled the two individuals about the technical oversight conducted, which absolves them of any illegality,” he emphasized.

According to Stefanović, the corruption aspect of this case is evident in their failures to perform supervisory duties and fulfill official responsibilities. The charges of Negligent Work in Service and Abuse of Official Position are classified as corrupt criminal offenses.

Why is the VJT in Belgrade pursuing an indictment?

On a related note, the Novi Sad Public Prosecutor’s Office has issued an indictment against other defendants for the crime of Serious Offense Against General Security in the context of a general crime, as reported by N1.

“The Public Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime is currently conducting a pre-investigation into the financing related to the renovation project of the Novi Sad Railway Station,” noted the Chief Public Prosecutor.

“I would like to emphasize that the pre-investigation was initiated at the behest of the Criminal Investigation Department, following a request from the POSK VJT in Belgrade for police to gather necessary information regarding the project’s financing, as some companies involved are based in Belgrade. Subsequently, the POSK VJT in Novi Sad initiated their proceedings regarding the project’s financing,” he elaborated.

Stefanović also mentioned that the POSK VJP in Belgrade has filed an objection to the decision regarding the substitution of the Supreme Public Prosecutor, a decision to be evaluated by the High Prosecutorial Council’s Commission.

“The Public Prosecutor’s Office of Belgrade maintains that the office which conducted the pre-investigation, the investigation, and filed the indictment should also represent the same in the relevant court to ensure procedural efficiency. This raises questions about why the Public Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime, currently in the pre-investigation phase concerning the financing of the reconstruction project at the Novi Sad Railway Station, is taking this action,” he stated.

In light of the tragedy on November 1 of last year in Novi Sad and the subsequent societal context, the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade has tirelessly worked to respond efficiently to suspicions of criminal offenses and hold accountable those responsible within their jurisdiction.

What are the charges against the defendants?

There is reasonable suspicion that Milutin S., the President of the Commission for Technical Inspection of Works, and Commission member Biljana K. behaved negligently in their supervisory roles from March 25, 2024, to April 5, 2024, violating laws, regulations, and other acts, ultimately leading to significant violations of others’ rights, as reported by N1.

The statement from the VJP mentions that they conducted a technical inspection of the facility prior to its completion; however, this inspection did not comprehensively check compliance with the construction permit and technical documentation, nor with relevant technical standards. As a result, they improperly approved the trial operation of the entire Novi Sad Railway Station building, going against the Law on Planning and Construction.

“They failed to ascertain whether conditions for a use permit were met, nor did they submit a report to the investor during the trial operation, acting in contravention of the Law on Planning and Construction,” is emphasized in the statement.

Additionally, they neglected to verify the completeness of technical and other documentation related to the facility’s construction or the execution of projects. The technical inspection was performed without confirming the application for works and checking for compliance with the design structure, physical and technical specifications of all significant elements of the structure, or for controlling relevant works through appropriate sampling.

“Milutin S. prepared a technical inspection report dated April 4, 2024, which included the Minutes from the inspection and a proposal from the commission for the commissioning of the facility dated April 5, 2024, inaccurately concluding that there were no deficiencies affecting the stability and functionality of the facility,” they note.

This report confirmed that the facility was constructed in accordance with the approved project and that a trial operation was authorized, although they were aware that the inspection process did not align with the required regulations, standards, and professional rules. Biljana K. particularly failed to inspect the entire structure of the Novi Sad Railway Station, particularly the canopy, in violation of regulations concerning seismic areas, as reported by N1.

Specifically, Biljana K. did not verify that, following the reconstruction of the building, an assessment of resistance to seismic effects had not been performed, nor did she determine the existing technical properties of the canopy concerning load-bearing capacity and stability, despite knowing the potential risks.

Furthermore, she did not confirm that the specified layers of unreinforced concrete and ceramics were removed from the canopy, as required, which increased the load on the structure, known by Commission President Milutin S.

Despite being aware that conditions for a trial operation were not met and that their actions could lead to severe violations of individuals’ rights, including the right to life and physical integrity, they approved the trial operation of the Novi Sad Railway Station building. Such approvals integrated a misleading report on technical inspection into future legal proceedings.

Consequently, the irregularities led to the canopy’s collapse in front of the “B” lobby, and even during subsequent inspections, errors persisted.

In October 2024, Milutin S. submitted another technical inspection report, despite clear signs of structural failures prior to the canopy’s collapse. Their negligence resulted in diminished load capacity and ultimately the catastrophic failure of the canopy structure.

It is suspected that Slobodanka K., from September 2020 to November 1, 2024, in her capacity as the development and investments manager at AD “Infrastrukture Železnice Srbije,” abused her position and neglected her responsibilities in the modernization and reconstruction project of the Hungarian-Serbian railway line, jeopardizing the rights to life and physical safety.

She was responsible for making decisions on this project and submitting various reports and documentation to her superiors, aware that the technical inspection report was not compliant with applicable regulations and had authorized the trial operation under the premise that it was fit for use.

On June 12, 2024, Slobodanka K. established a joint Commission for the internal reception of wing “B” at the Novi Sad Railway Station, despite the internal reception process lacking regulatory framework, allowing the wing “B” lobby to become operational by July 5, 2024, even though inspections were incomplete and safety was at risk.

She was aware that the lobby was not yet finished and that non-compliance with regulations could endanger safety.

The irregularities that ultimately caused the canopy’s collapse remained unidentified, leading to further safety compromises.

Her disregard for safety protocols continued as the building became operational without proper completion, even as a new technical inspection was being conducted shortly before the collapse.

Moreover, she acknowledged that the final inspection report, declaring the facility suitable for public use, had not yet been submitted, contributing to the tragic failure of the canopy that resulted in the loss of 15 lives and serious injuries to others on November 1, 2024.

She understood the risks associated with non-compliance and assumed that her actions would not lead to fatal consequences for many individuals.

The prosecution has requested the court to extend detention for Milutin S. and Biljana K. and to continue monitoring Slobodanka K. electronically, to prevent any potential reoffending and manage public safety concerns.

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