European Officials on Anniversary of Novi Sad Tragedy

Marta Kos (BETAPHOTO/EC - Audiovisual Service/Martine Perret)

European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said on Nov. 1, the anniversary of the deadly collapse of the concrete canopy at the Novi Sad railway station, that "the tragedy is changing Serbia."

"One year ago, the railway station in Novi Sad collapsed and took 16 lives with it. We remember them today. The tragedy is changing Serbia," she said, adding that the tragedy "has roused the masses to advocate for responsibility, freedom of expression and inclusive democracy," stressing that those "are the same values that lead Serbia into the EU."

Tonino Picula, rapporteur for Serbia before the European Parliament, said on the anniversary of the incident that took 16 lives, that such events "must serve as a call to accountability and justice." He stressed that "the citizens have a right to the truth and a system capable of preventing such tragedies from ever happening again."

The Party of European Social Democrats said in a press release that it stood by "the demonstrators who have been protesting for a year now." "The Serbian people have the right to live in a democratic country where democracy and the rule of law are respected, where officials are called to account for their actions," the S&D press release said.