Serbia orders demolition of renovated railway stations after collapse kills 16

A newly renovated railway station in Serbia's Vojvodina region collapsed, its roof falling and causing 16 fatalities. Subsequent safety inspections revealed that the recent upgrades were not carried out according to current building permits and lacked required static calculations, leading authorities to label the stations a security risk. The government ordered demolition of the affected structures, including those in Szabadka and Topola, to prevent further incidents. The tragedy has intensified scrutiny of a high‑profile rail modernization project that was promoted as a showcase of Serbia’s ability to deliver European‑standard infrastructure, and it has become a point of criticism ahead of upcoming parliamentary elections.

Officials argue that the standards in place when the stations were renovated have since changed, while critics contend that the project's timeline was driven by political deadlines rather than technical requirements. The demolition follows an emergency inspection ordered after the collapse, which confirmed widespread non‑compliance with construction permits.