Prosecution calls for public trial for Novi Sad Railway Station tragedy

A statement recalled on September 16, 2025, an indictment was filed against 13 individuals on suspicion of having committed serious crimes against public safety adding that it expects the indictment to be confirmed as soon as possible and that all defendants stand trial in public. It said a public trial is necessary.

The 13 people indicted include former Construction, Transport, and Infrastructure Minister Goran Vesic, former Acting CEO Serbian Railways Infrastructure Jelena Tanaskovic, Vesic's former assistant Anita Dimoski, as well as former Infrastruktura CEO Nebojsa Surlan.

“All 13 accused are charged with criminal acts that enabled the use of a public building – the station building of the Railway Station in Novi Sad, Block B, even though construction work was ongoing and no occupancy permit was issued for that building, due to a criminal offense related to previous neglect of the station building's structure, and for criminal acts during the design and execution phases of renovation of the station building of the Railway Station in Novi Sad,” the prosecution statement said.

It said the indictment is fully supported by evidence, which confirms beyond reasonable doubt that all the accused committed the crimes they are charged with and which indicate the criminal responsibility of the accused," it said.

The statement recalled that on September 16 of this year the indictment was submitted to the Higher Court in Novi Sad for confirmation and added that the case has been under the jurisdiction of the Higher Court in Novi Sad since then.

The statement also recalled it also proposed detention for all the accused due to the ongoing public outcry which, the prosecution believes could jeopardize the proceedings adding that the proposal was rejected but that the accused were ordered into house arrest.

Two other investigations over the railway station tragedy have been launched by the Higher Public Prosecution in Belgrade and the Organized Crime Prosecution.