Court in Novi Sad returns case to prosecution, allowing investigation into canopy collapse to continue

(Patria) - The High Court in Novi Sad has returned the investigative case regarding the collapse of the canopy at the Railway Station in that city to the Novi Sad High Public Prosecutor's Office, thereby removing obstacles for the investigation to continue.

Serbian media report that on July 4, the Court rejected all requests from the defendants and their lawyers concerning the exclusion of certain evidence from the case and the undertaking of "certain evidentiary actions," after which the case was returned to the prosecution.

Previously, on June 18, the High Public Prosecutor's Office in Novi Sad announced that it was unable to complete the investigation and file an indictment because the investigative case was with the court.

They stated that it was submitted to the court after April 29, when the examination of the expert commission was interrupted after the defense presented several procedural proposals.

According to procedure, the court needs to rule on individual defense proposals.

The High Court at the time denied in its response that it was obstructing the investigation in the case of the canopy collapse, adding that "they are acting promptly, without delay, on the requests and proposals of the defendants and their lawyers".

The High Public Prosecutor's Office in Novi Sad filed an indictment against 13 people on December 30, but the High Court in Novi Sad returned it for "revision" in mid-April, stating that "a better clarification of the matter is needed to examine its validity." This returned the procedure to the investigation phase.

Among the 13 people included in the indictment are former Serbian Minister of Transport Goran Vesić, his associate at the Ministry Anita Dimoski, and former director of "Serbian Railways Infrastructure" Jelena Tanasković.

These three, along with the former director of "Serbian Railways Infrastructure" Nebojša Šurlan, are accused of a serious offense against general safety, in connection with the criminal offense of causing general danger. All defendants have been released from custody.