The way the works contractor for the reconstruction of the building of the railway station in Novi Sad was selected is a classic example of concerted corruption practices that include everyone – from the contractor, via supervision and ministry officials, all the way to the Presidency of Serbia itself
The collapse of the canopy of the building of the railway station in Novi Sad, which caused 17 casualties, including 15 deaths and two people left permanently disabled, revealed the devastating fact that priorities in Serbian construction are given to the economic effect of every position on the construction site and that no expert is responsible for the safety of buildings and the quality of works implemented. The selection of contractors and subcontractors is carried out according to the principle of agreement, despite the Law making it mandatory to conduct public tenders for all works financed from the budget of the Republic of Serbia. The way the works contractor for the reconstruction of the building of the railway station in Novi Sad was selected is a classic example of concerted corruption practices that include everyone – from the contractor, via oversight and ministry officials, all the way to the Presidency of Serbia itself.
Corruption has led to the Serbian construction industry losing all trust and to no one having confidence in the safety of buildings under construction
Corruption is also reflected in the fact that works on the reconstruction of the building had estimated costs of 3.5 million euros, while 16 million euros was spent. No less important is the fact that most construction workers on the building lacked appropriate professional training, which means that the quality of the work is very problematic in many positions.
The collapse of the building canopy at the railway station in Novi Sad should trigger inspection work, with more frequent and stricter controls of works and the quality of expert personnel engaged in infrastructure facilities, control of the method of selecting licensed contractors in terms of previous references, professional and technical capabilities for the execution of works that are the subject of financing, public tenders for all works financed from public revenues and the selection of oversight that engages experts with appropriate licenses and proven integrity in the profession. But also regular financial controls of construction documentation to prevent the kind of corruption that has reduced the Serbian construction sector to a branch of the economy in which all trust has been lost when it comes to the safety of buildings being constructed.
