SARAJEVO – On Sunday, Sarajevo witnessed the largest civic protest following a tram accident on February 12 that left one young man dead and four others injured, N1 Sarajevo reports. The main street was blocked as protesters chanted “Justice,” carrying banners reading “Youth Killed by the System,” “Your Silence Is Our Loudest Resignation”…
Demonstrators are demanding urgent safety improvements, the appointment of qualified leaders to all vacant positions in relevant institutions, clear criteria for distributing social assistance to those in need, a budget review to prioritize funds for vehicle maintenance and upgrades, and the publication of a plan naming those responsible, with concrete measures and deadlines to resolve the issues.
The protests were called by, among others, the University of Sarajevo Union, the University of Sarajevo Student Parliament, and the Primary and Secondary Education Union.
A day earlier, the Sarajevo Canton Prosecutor’s Office confirmed to Radio Free Europe (RFE) that no footage exists from the tram involved in the accident.
“Forensic analysis of the hard drive removed from the driver’s cabin showed that no material had been recorded since November 29, 2025. The Prosecutor’s Office is, among other things, investigating why the video surveillance system was not functioning,” the Canton Prosecutor’s Office stated.
Previously, the Prosecutor’s Office said that investigators from the Sarajevo Canton Ministry of Interior had seized documentation from the City Transport Company (GRAS) regarding the use of tram number 516 involved in the accident, technical documentation of all Czech trams, and certain personnel files.
According to the Prosecutor’s Office, 30 witnesses have been interviewed so far, and ten surveillance videos from surrounding buildings have been collected.
The Prosecutor’s Office earlier stated that there is “reasonable suspicion that the driver committed the criminal offense of endangering public traffic by negligence with fatal consequences,” but respects the court’s decision to reject a request for pretrial detention, releasing the tram driver.
The driver has pleaded not guilty, claiming the accident occurred due to a technical malfunction of the tram, claim supported by the GRAS Union.
