Thirteen people including a former government minister have been indicted over the deadly collapse of a train station roof last month in Novi Sad that sparked massive protests, turning up the heat on the government.
Former Transport Minister Goran Vesic and the former director of Serbian Railway Infrastructure, Jelena Tanaskovic, were among those named in the indictment, handed down by the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Novi Sad on December 30.
"The indictment was submitted to the Higher Court in Novi Sad, accompanied by the complete documentation collected during the pre-investigation and investigation process, as well as all other evidence," the prosecutor's office said in a statement.
Thousands have taken to the streets to demand accountability for the collapse of a canopy at the train station in Novi Sad that killed 15 people.
Some of the protests have been marred by violence.
The organizers of a massive student demonstration on December 22 demanded the government identify and prosecute the people who allegedly attacked demonstrators during previous protests over the accident.
The organizers also called for the release of activists detained during earlier protests and an end to legal proceedings against them.
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What's Behind The Student-Led Protests In Serbia?
The collapse of the canopy has turned into a political headache for President Aleksandar Vucic as more than 50 academic faculties at four state universities, the offices of several university rectors, and dozens of high schools remain blocked in solidarity with the protests.
Students also have taken part in daily protests in which traffic stops for 15 minutes in cities across Serbia.
The accident occurred after the railway station had been renovated twice in recent years by a Chinese-led consortium of four companies. Serbian Railways insisted that the renovation didn’t include the concrete overhang, but some experts disputed that.
Those indicted face up to 12 years in prison if they are found guilty of charges of committing criminal acts against public security, endangering the public, and irregular construction work.