A fatal railway station collapse involving a Chinese-built infrastructure project has become the center of a political crisis in Serbia, fueling nearly two years of anti-government protests and contributing to the resignation of then-President Aleksandar Vučić.
The disaster, which claimed the lives of 16 people in November 2024, exposed financial irregularities surrounding a major railway project backed by Chinese state-owned enterprises. What began as demands for accountability has since evolved into a nationwide movement challenging the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), which has dominated the country’s politics for 14 years.
Serbia is slated to hold early parliamentary elections on Oct. 25, with a student-led opposition movement mounting one of the most significant challenges to the country’s longtime ruling establishment.
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Nationwide protests
On Nov. 1, 2024, a concrete canopy at the recently renovated railway station in Novi Sad, Serbia’s second-largest city, collapsed, ultimately killing 16 people. The station was part of the Belgrade-Budapest high-speed railway project, a major infrastructure initiative involving China Railway International and China Communications Construction Company, both Chinese state-owned enterprises.
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The disaster immediately raised questions about construction standards, government oversight, and possible corruption. University students organized demonstrations demanding the release of construction contracts and accountability for officials responsible for overseeing the project. The protests eventually expanded to include teachers, doctors, farmers, and other groups.
In an October 2025 resolution, the European Parliament noted that the railway project had been implemented under an agreement between Serbia and China, outside the European Union’s ordinary public procurement framework.
Lawmakers also raised concerns about transparency, regulatory oversight, and the growing influence of Chinese infrastructure investment in Serbia.
Prosecutors investigate $115 million loss
The controversy only worsened as investigators examined the project’s financial arrangements. According to Reuters, Serbian organized crime prosecutors arrested six suspects on Aug. 1, 2025, including former Infrastructure Minister Tomislav Momirović, over suspected financial misconduct connected to the railway reconstruction.
Prosecutors alleged that inflated invoices submitted by the Chinese construction consortium caused approximately $115.6 million in losses to Serbia’s state budget.
They also estimated that the consortium benefited by approximately $18.8 million via alleged overbilling. The case also broadened public scrutiny beyond construction safety to the financial arrangements between Serbian authorities and Chinese contractors.
For Vučić, who has promoted Chinese investment as an important driver of Serbia’s economic development, the allegations intensified questions about the oversight of major infrastructure projects.
Student movement gains ground
Vučić has long pursued a foreign policy balancing Serbia’s relationships with the European Union, Russia, and China. Under his leadership, Beijing became an increasingly important economic partner, financing or participating in major railway, highway, mining, and industrial developments.
However, the Novi Sad disaster transformed public frustration over alleged corruption into a sustained political challenge. Mass demonstrations continued throughout 2025 and 2026, including a major protest in Belgrade in March 2025 that drew some of the largest crowds in Serbia’s recent history.
On Sept. 27, 2026, Vučić resigned as president ahead of early parliamentary elections. He has since sought to return to power as prime minister through the SNS. But unlike previous opposition campaigns led by established political parties, the student movement has attracted broad support by emphasizing government accountability and institutional reform.
Its electoral alliance, known as “Student List–Students Win,” includes university professors, medical professionals, artists, and other candidates from outside the traditional political establishment. Cardiology professor Ilija Srdanović heads the candidate list.
The movement has proposed 11 reforms, including the creation of a specialized anti-corruption police unit, changes to public broadcasting, and measures targeting political patronage in state-owned enterprises. On Oct. 22, supporters gathered in Belgrade for a major final campaign rally ahead of Sunday’s vote.
Election could reshape Serbia’s relationship with China
The election comes amid concerns about electoral integrity and the ruling party’s longstanding influence over state institutions. While the student movement has focused primarily on corruption, judicial independence, and government accountability, its emergence also raises questions about the future of Serbia’s economic relationship with Beijing.
China has become one of Serbia’s most important infrastructure partners, giving both governments a substantial interest in preserving existing investment and construction agreements. A change in government could bring renewed scrutiny of Chinese-backed projects, particularly their financing arrangements, procurement procedures, and regulatory oversight.
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