BELGRADE, Serbia — A 19-year-old died on Friday in a hospital in Serbia, turning into the sixteenth fatality within the collapse of a concrete cover at a prepare station final November. The tragedy triggered months of anti-corruption protests rattling Serbia’s populist authorities.
Vukasin Crncevic died greater than 4 months after tons of concrete crashed down on Nov. 1 with out warning on him and different folks exterior the central prepare station within the northern metropolis of Novi Unhappy.
Many in Serbia consider the lethal crash was the results of poor renovation work on the station constructing which resulted from rampant government corruptio n, negligence and disrespect of the protection laws.
Months-long protests demanding accountability over the crash have drawn a whole lot of hundreds of individuals. Each day protests and blockades have to date included 15-minute silence for many who had died within the catastrophe.
Silent visitors blockades have been held on a variety of completely different places in Belgrade, the Serbian capital, in addition to town of Novi Unhappy and different cities on Friday.
Additionally Friday, Serbia’s autocratic President Aleksandar Vucic introduced plans to arrange counter-rallies, which might additional escalate tensions and doubtlessly trigger clashes between teams of protesters.
Vucic has accused the protesters of “terrorizing” folks in Serbia and of violence, though the anti-graft protests — that are led by college college students — have been largely peaceable.
The newest rally in Belgrade final weekend was among the many greatest ever held within the Balkan nation, which has a protracted file of anti-government demonstrations. The populist authorities have confronted accusations of utilizing a sonic cannon in opposition to the protesters throughout the commemorative silence on Saturday night, which Vucic and different authorities officers have denied.
Initially, 14 folks died and three have been injured within the Novi Unhappy station crash. Belgrade’s navy hospital, which was treating him, mentioned that Crncevic died on account of “complicated accidents” and “ensuing problems.”
