Vesic Says He Is Not Responsible, but Will Resign on Nov. 5

Goran Vesic (BETAPHOTO/MILAN ILIC)

Serbian Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Goran Vesic said on Nov. 4 that he would resign on Nov. 5, after 14 people died and dozens were injured when a concrete canopy at the Novi Sad railway station collapsed on Nov. 1.

Speaking at a news conference at the Serbian government headquarters, he said he had offered his resignation on the same day, but that he could not assume responsibility for the 14 deaths as his ministry could not have influenced the plans, quality or oversight of the remodeling work through any decree it issued.

"Neither I nor the people who work with me bear one iota of responsibility for the tragedy that happened. I am confident that is what the investigation will show. I am stepping down as a responsible man who wants to show through personal example that there is moral responsibility," Vesic said.

Citing the timeline of document issuance related to the railway station reconstruction project, Vesic said it all happened before he became minister and that during his tenure he had not issued one single decree that could affect the final outcome of the project.

"I call on all responsible agencies to determine as soon as possible who is responsible for this terrible accident that happened, who didn't do the work, which resulted in 14 people dying. That will clear the names of many people that have been mentioned in the last few days," the minister said, asking why the Infrastruktura zeleznica Srbije railway infrastructure company had not been maintaining the station in Novi Sad, which they are legally bound to do.

Vesic said the Chinese consortium CRIC&CCCC, comprised of the China Railway International Co. Ltd. and the China Communications Construction Company Ltd., executed the reconstruction work. Foreign companies performed the inspections, while the investor was Infrastruktura zeleznica Srbije.