Serbia’s Kreni-promeni movement has published a video alleging that Serbian national flags were used to cover memorial plaques bearing the names of victims of the Novi Sad railway station canopy collapse during preparations for a campaign rally by the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) in Niš.
The movement’s Niš branch said it received reports from citizens that the plaques commemorating those killed in the disaster had been covered ahead of the final campaign rally for the “Aleksandar Vučić – United Serbia” list, scheduled for Wednesday at King Milan Square.
According to Kreni-promeni, its representatives went to the site after receiving the reports and found senior city officials overseeing preparations for the event.
“We filmed the covering of the plaques and directly asked them why it was being done and who had ordered it, but they all remained silent and said they knew nothing about it,” the movement said in a statement.
Kreni-promeni also noted that the victims’ names remained commemorated on the plaques nearly two years after the disaster, despite what it described as a lack of accountability.
City Centre Closed for Rally Preparations
The centre of Niš was closed to traffic as preparations continued for the SNS campaign rally. Platforms, a stage, tents and barriers were installed in King Milan Square, while pedestrians navigated around the event infrastructure to reach nearby streets and their homes.
According to earlier media reports, Niš Mayor Dragoslav Pavlović was among the city officials who visited the square during preparations.
The preparations also sparked a dispute with the Medijana municipality. Municipal inspectors issued an order calling for the removal of the stage and other structures installed in the square, but preparations for the rally continued.
Workers from private companies and municipal public-service enterprises were involved in installing platforms, chairs, the stage, tents and barriers.
The allegations concerning the memorial plaques were reported by Nova.rs based on statements and footage published by Kreni-promeni. The report did not include a response from the city authorities or the SNS addressing the claim.
