Serbian former minister Goran Vesić and five others indicted over Novi Sad overpass collapse

The Court of Appeal in Novi Sad overturned a previous ruling and reinstated the indictment against former transport minister Goran Vesić, his aide Anita Dimoski, former railway infrastructure director Jelena Tanasković and five additional engineers (including Milan Spremić, Marina Gavrilović and Dejan Todorović). They are charged with a serious crime against public safety, punishable by two to twelve years in prison.

The charges relate to the collapse of a reconstructed overpass at the Novi Sad railway station on 1 November 2024, which killed 16 people and left one woman seriously injured. The appeal court also rejected the defence’s attempts to have judges excluded and dismissed appeals from seven other accused persons.

Opposition MP Marinika Tepić called the decision “a big defeat for those who tried to prevent the most responsible from facing charges,” and urged a swift trial without political pressure. The case has sparked nationwide protests demanding accountability for alleged corruption and negligence in infrastructure projects.