Novi Sad Assembly Adopts Initiative for Erecting Monument, Opposition Walks Out of Session

Railway Station in Novi Sad, Nov.15 2024 (BETAPHOTO/Dragan Gojic)

At its July 31 session, the City Assembly of Novi Sad adopted the initiative of Mayor Zarko Micin for erecting a monument for the 16 victims of the collapsed overhang at the city’s railway station, while the opposition assembly members walked out of the session and did not vote.

The opposition announced that the regime had no credibility to propose such initiatives and erect the monument for the victims, because they were the ones responsible for the tragedy. The students in blockade from faculties in Novi Sad also protested the mayor’s initiative.

“They now want to erect a monument to the people they killed by their corruption. We will never allow that,” the students stated. Students and citizens protested in front of the Assembly, which is surrounded by a metal fence as of July 30, with a strong presence of the police and Gendarmerie.

The street in front of the Assembly was blocked for traffic. The opposition assembly members were searched by security on entering the building, as were the journalists reporting from the session. This became standard practice when the protests began in front of the city’s Assembly.