TOK requested eight times for Chinese contractors to be heard, MUP ignored everything
By the end of March, the Ministry of Internal Affairs had received eight requests for the provision of necessary information, and on April 7, a new request was sent to SBPOK and the Tax Police, consolidating all previous ones, according to the Prosecutor's Office, which states that all responsible persons of contractors and subcontractors will be interviewed in the coming period.
TL;DR
- The Prosecutor's Office for Organized Crime (TOK) requested MUP to question Chinese companies involved in the railway modernization project, but these requests were not acted upon for over a year.
- Eight requests were sent to MUP between September 2025 and March 2026, which were consolidated into a new request on April 7 after a meeting with SBPOK and Tax Police.
- The investigation is also examining financial irregularities, with 14 arrests made, including former ministers, related to alleged overcharging by the Chinese consortium CRIC-CCCC.
- The investigation has been hampered by the withdrawal of MUP and Tax Administration representatives from an investigative task force and legal changes.
- Despite being implicated, no responsible individuals from the main Chinese contractors (CCCC and CRIC) have been publicly questioned in the TOK-led investigation.
- An investigation into the deadly canopy collapse at Novi Sad station is ongoing separately, with some officials cleared and others indicted.
- There are allegations that Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić promised the Chinese ambassador that no one from the Chinese consortium would be held responsible for the canopy tragedy.
- The project's cost has escalated significantly, with initial estimates for the Novi Sad station reconstruction quadrupling and additional works totaling nearly $112 million being signed off without proper decision-making.
- The overall cost of the railway modernization project with Chinese firms is estimated to be over $1.2 billion, significantly more than a potential EU-partnered alternative.
- There are concerns that government obstruction and legal maneuvers are aimed at protecting individuals involved, potentially jeopardizing EU funding.