Botched Belt and Road Project Triggers Political Crisis in Serbia

Serbia has been engulfed in protests for over six weeks as students and citizens demand accountability following the fatal collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad, which claimed 15 lives on November 1. Demonstrators have accused President Aleksandar Vucic’s administration of corruption and negligence, particularly in its dealings with Chinese contractors under Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

The tragedy has turned public attention toward the opaque contracts and alleged nepotism tied to infrastructure projects involving Chinese firms, further intensifying scrutiny of Serbia’s growing relationship with China. The incident is not only a domestic crisis but also a potential blemish on China’s ambitious BRI.

Fatal Canopy Collapse Sparks Nationwide Protests

The canopy collapse occurred during a renovation of the Novi Sad railway station, part of a Chinese-led project to modernize Serbia’s railway infrastructure. The project involved China Railway International Co. (CRIC) and China Communications Construction Co. (CCCC), both of which denied direct involvement in constructing the canopy. Despite these claims, footage on social media suggests the collapse was caused by recently installed heavy glass.

Protests began shortly after the accident, with university students leading the charge. Demonstrators have blocked roads, boycotted lectures, and clashed with police. Their demands include the release of detained protesters and full transparency regarding the renovation project.

“The canopy collapse marks the beginning of the end to the corruption, terror, and fear that the current ruling government has cast on its very own citizens, especially students,” said Masa Pozder, a law student from Nis.

President Vucic dismissed the protests as being fueled by foreign intelligence agencies aiming to destabilize his government. However, under mounting pressure, he agreed to meet some of the protesters’ demands. Transparency Serbia, a watchdog organization, criticized the government’s response, highlighting gaps in the documentation released, including the absence of the 2018 contract signed with the Chinese firms.

Opaque Contracts and Allegations of Corruption

The Novi Sad railway renovation forms part of a broader agreement between Serbia and China under the BRI. These agreements often include confidentiality clauses, which critics argue shield corrupt practices. The contracts are rarely open to competitive bidding, enabling subcontracts to be awarded to firms linked to Serbia’s ruling party.

“It is used to hide activities of multiple subcontracts with companies closely connected with [Vucic’s] Serbian Progressive Party,” said Danijel Dasic, a former infrastructure adviser for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). “We have no information about who the subcontractors are and what their assignments entail.”

While CRIC and CCCC maintain they did not directly construct the canopy, legal experts argue that as umbrella contractors, they are responsible for the performance of their subcontractors. This raises broader concerns about the quality and safety of BRI projects, particularly those involving local subcontractors.

Implications for China’s Belt and Road Initiative

The incident has come at a critical time for Beijing, which is racing to complete a key railway connecting Serbia with Greece’s Thessaloniki port and Hungary’s capital, Budapest. The route is integral to easing logistical bottlenecks exacerbated by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, which has disrupted traditional trade corridors.

Serbia’s strategic location as a bridge between Europe and Asia has made it a linchpin of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s flagship BRI. Chinese investments in Serbia have surged, with $6.4 billion in manufacturing foreign direct investments recorded in 2023 alone. In October, the two countries signed a free trade agreement, further cementing their economic ties.

However, Western critics have long decried BRI projects for their lack of transparency and accountability. The Novi Sad disaster could amplify these criticisms, undermining China’s efforts to promote its infrastructure projects in Europe.

Broader Political Fallout in Serbia

The protests have also exposed growing dissatisfaction with Vucic’s increasingly authoritarian rule. Amnesty International recently reported that Serbian authorities have used spyware to surveil journalists, activists, and opposition figures. The Novi Sad tragedy has provided a rallying point for citizens frustrated by corruption and lack of transparency.

“Vucic built his image on Chinese investment making economic progress that has become highly visible in the form of new bridges, railways, and roads, but the Novi Sad disaster made this entire facade begin to crumble,” said Vuk Vuksanovic, senior researcher at the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy. “Serbia’s students used to be apolitical, but the disaster has ignited their aversion to the complete lack of transparency and corruption.”

As Serbia prepares to host Expo 2027 in Belgrade, the protests and controversy risk tarnishing its international image. Vucic, who has emphasized Serbia’s cooperation with China, visited Chinese workers at the Expo site last month in a public display of solidarity.

What Lies Ahead

The Novi Sad collapse has become more than a tragedy—it’s a symbol of systemic failures that have galvanized a generation of Serbian youth. Whether the protests will lead to significant political reform or merely dissipate under government pressure remains uncertain. However, the crisis underscores the risks of opaque governance and unaccountable infrastructure development, not just in Serbia but across all nations participating in the Belt and Road Initiative.