Serbia's Rail Scandal: Arrests Raise Anti-Government Tensions

On Friday, six people were arrested, including former infrastructure minister Tomislav Momirovic, for their alleged involvement in a financial scandal surrounding the reconstruction of a railway station in Serbia. The station's roof collapsed last November, resulting in 16 fatalities and sparking the nation's largest anti-government protests in recent decades.

The prosecutor for organized crime revealed that the suspects are accused of inflating invoices from Chinese companies tasked with the rail project's reconstruction. This alleged financial manipulation purportedly caused a $115.6 million loss to the state budget while benefiting the Chinese consortium by $18.8 million, although details remain scarce.

Following the collapse's aftermath, 11 individuals, including Momirovic's successor, faced detainment for public safety violations. Prolonged demonstrations demanding systemic change, including early elections, signal a growing discontent with President Aleksandar Vucic, who has denied corruption allegations.

(With inputs from agencies.)