One Belt, One Road “Everything Behind Closed Doors” Collapse Investigation Expert - Serbian Parliamentary Election

The collapse of the eaves of the Novi Sad train station in northern Serbia, which triggered anti-government protests, is believed to have been caused by renovation work carried out as part of China's One Belt, One Road initiative. Experts investigating the incident criticized that all transactions between the two countries were done behind closed doors and were a breeding ground for corruption.

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Professor Ognjen Radonic (economics) of the University of Belgrade, who participated in the accident investigation committee made up of experts in architecture, economics, and law independent of the Serbian government, and Vladimir Obradovic, a professor of business administration at Belgrade University who is also an opposition politician, responded to the interview.

According to the two people, 85% of the construction funds were covered by loans from China, and Chinese companies were the prime contractor and primary subcontractor. Meanwhile, all on-site work was carried out by Serbian companies, and the Chinese side "just siphoned off the fees." The construction cost, which was estimated to be 3 million euros (approximately 533 million yen), has reportedly increased by more than five times.

The construction work was negotiated bilaterally, eliminating the need for normal public procurement procedures or competitive bidding, and the companies were selected on the basis of "friendly discussions". Obradovic said in anger, "The price and quality are unknown. It's wrapped in the cover of an intergovernmental agreement." It is said that a Chinese company was awarded the prime contract for the construction of the venue for the World Expo to be held in Serbia next year without bidding.

However, they emphasized that the biggest problem was the "corrupt Serbian government." "We're giving foreign companies the right to do whatever they want. It's like a colony," Radnich complained. (Belgrade Jiji).