(Bloomberg) -- Serbia’s construction minister resigned after 14 people were crushed to death last week by a falling canopy at a railway station that was rebuilt by European and Chinese firms two years ago.
Goran Vesic told reporters on Tuesday that he wanted to show “moral responsibility” by stepping down. However, he rejected any direct blame for mishandling the renovation of the station in Novi Sad, a city in northern Serbia. Prime Minister Milos Vucevic said he’ll accept the resignation, the Tanjug state news agency reported.
Shortly after police confirmed the death toll, protesters took to the streets of the capital Belgrade and in Novi Sad, demanding that the entire cabinet resign. The 50-year-old railway station was refurbished as part of railway upgrades in the Balkan country, which include the construction of its first high-speed train between the two cities.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic was also a target for protesters. In a Monday interview on Happy TV, he proposed a referendum to test support for himself and the government. No such referendum has yet been scheduled.
Vucic said he would step down and call general elections if more than 50% vote against his leadership. He also called for a thorough investigation into the rebuilding of Novi Sad station, in which dozens of construction companies, including Serbian, Chinese and Hungarian, took part.
The deadly collapse also heightened concerns over quality of work by Chinese contractors, increasingly active in central and eastern Europe. Vesic said the recent works on the railway station were carried out by China Railway International Co. Ltd, or CRIC, and China Communications Construction Company Ltd., or CCCC.
The incident also made waves in Slovakia, where Prime Minister Robert Fico is facing criticism for his efforts to bring in more Chinese investment. Slovakia’s leader has said he wants Chinese partners involved in bridge repairs, rail upgrades and the construction of a new power plant.
Slovakia’s former economy minister, Karel Hirman, said in a Facebook post on Monday that the tragedy in Novi Sad is a reason to think twice about deals that Fico could strike during his current visit to China.
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