Protesters have been blocking roads almost daily since the train station collapse in Novi Sad last November, which claimed 15 lives. Many hold corruption and inadequate construction oversight responsible for the tragic incident.

Prime Minister Milos Vucevic announced his resignation on Tuesday in the wake of ongoing protests following the deadly train station collapse in Novi Sad, Serbia's second-largest city, last year.

"It is my appeal for everyone to calm down the passions and return to dialogue," Vucevic stated, emphasizing that his resignation is intended to reduce tensions within the country.

The resignation requires parliamentary approval, after which the parliament will have 30 days to either appoint a new government or call for a snap election.

Protests against President Aleksandar Vucic's administration have been almost constant since the Novi Sad train station collapse in November, which resulted in 15 fatalities. Vucevic, a close ally of the president, has faced increasing criticism during this period.

During a press conference in Belgrade, the prime minister described his resignation as an "irrevocable decision."

"I had a long meeting with the president of Serbia this morning. We discussed this extensively, and he accepted my reasoning," Vucevic explained. "To prevent further complications and to ease societal tensions, I have made this decision."

He assured the public that he and his ministers would continue to operate in a caretaker capacity until a new government is formed.

Vucevic also referenced an attack on student protesters in Novi Sad the previous day, noting that one student had been injured. He criticized the government’s opponents, accusing them of exploiting the train station canopy collapse for "political" purposes.

The prime minister further announced that Novi Sad's mayor, Milan Duric, had also submitted his resignation.

Vucevic has served as prime minister for less than a year, following a decade-long tenure as Novi Sad’s mayor from 2012 to 2022, a period during which renovations of the now-collapsed train station began.

Protests have been ongoing since the train station’s roof collapse in November, which killed 15 people in northern Serbia. Demonstrators attribute the disaster to systemic corruption, nepotism, and substandard construction practices, and they have called for expedited judicial action against those responsible.

Former Transport Minister Goran Vesic resigned shortly after the collapse and, along with several others, now faces charges related to the incident.