Eleven people arrested over Novi Sad tragedy

BELGRADE/NOVI SAD - Eleven people were arrested on Thursday over the November 1 tragedy in Novi Sad, in which an overhang collapse at the city's railway station killed 15 people, seriously injuring two others.

Minister of Construction and Infrastructure Goran Vesic, Serbian Railway Infrastructure Acting Director Jelena Tanaskovic, former Serbian Railway Infrastructure director Nebojsa Surlan and Assistant Minister for Railway Transport Anita Dimoski are among the arrestees, Tanjug learns.

The Higher Prosecutor's Office in Novi Sad said earlier in the day people identified with the initials J T, G V, A D and N S had been arrested on suspicion of committing a serious crime against general safety under Article 288, Paragraph 2 of the Penal Code, in connection with the crime of causing general danger under Article 278, Paragraph 3 of the Penal Code.

It also said suspects identified as S N, M J, Lj M M, M S, D J, M G and D T had committed a serious crime against general safety under Article 288, Paragraph 2 of the Penal Code in connection with the crime of illegal and improper execution of construction works under Article 281, Paragraph 1 of the Penal Code.

The suspects face prison sentences of 2 to 12 years, the Prosecutor's Office said in a statement.

In a Facebook post, Vesic denied that he had been arrested and noted that he had voluntarily "made himself available to investigative authorities so that all circumstances that led to the Novi Sad accident may be investigated completely."