Detention ordered for those arrested due to the fall of the canopy in Novi Sad

The suspects, let's recall, denied guilt at the hearing yesterday for the omissions that led to the collapse of the canopy at the Railway Station in Novi Sad, during which 15 people died and two were seriously injured.

Let us remind you that the tragedy happened on November 1, 2024.

"The suspects were brought to the Belgrade Palace of Justice accompanied by the police and the interrogation began around 9:00 a.m. All the suspects presented their defense and denied the commission of criminal acts. After the hearing, the prosecutor of the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade submitted a proposal to the judge for preliminary proceedings to order them into custody so that they would not influence the witnesses, so that they would not repeat the criminal act, as well as because of the public disturbance," said the Kurir interlocutor.

The five suspects, let's recall, are accused of breaking the law and acting negligently in the performance of their duties, even though they were aware that there could be more serious consequences as a result.

"From March 25 to April 5, 2024, they carried out a technical inspection of the facility of the station building at the Novi Sad Railway Station, about which they drew up a report in Belgrade on the technical inspection of the facility, dated April 4, 2024, an integral part of which is the record of the technical inspection of the facility dated April 5, 2024. In the report, they noted certain deficiencies, making remarks, but with the conclusion that these deficiencies do not affect the stability and functionality of the facility and system," the High Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade announced.

With that report, they confirmed that the facility was approved for trial operation for one year, even though they knew that the tour and inspection of the facility, as well as the Record of Technical Inspection dated April 5, 2024, were not done in accordance with all regulations and rules of the profession.

"Even after that, they continued to violate the Law on Planning and Construction and the relevant regulations because during the trial operation of the building they did not check the fulfillment of the conditions for issuing a use permit and did not submit reports on this to the investor, although according to the findings and opinion of the experts, they could visually see signs of breakage, which were noticeable in the days preceding the demolition of the canopy, i.e. notice the increased deflection of the canopy," said the chief prosecutor of the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade Nenad Stefanović.

The omissions of the members of the Commission, as is suspected, led to the collapse of the canopy on the ground in front of the front facade.