Wreath-laying ceremony held to commemorate victims of last year's Rudine train crash

The Minister of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure, Bozidar Kalmeta, and the CEO of the Croatian Rail (HZ) company, Zoran Popovac, on Friday laid a wreath by the railway track near Rudine, 20 kilometres northwest of Split, to mark the first anniversary of a train crash in which six people were killed and 55 injured.

It was the most tragic accident in the company's 20-year-long history. HZ has begun paying damages to the injured parties.

"Last week we paid 3,650,000 kuna in damages to the families of those killed. The payment of damages for the foreign national who was killed is being discussed and I hope it will be settled soon," Popovac said, adding that activities were under way for out-of-court settlements in 28 cases, while medical records were being awaited for the rest.

Responding to questions from the press, Popovac said that the Zagreb-Split railway line was safe, adding that measures had been taken at the end of last year to improve its safety.

HZ said in a statement that was circulated to the reporters that apart from the damages to the passengers, costs relating to the Rudine crash had so far exceeded 32 million kuna, of which the damage to the train was 28 million kuna.

In April 2010, five people were charged with a crime against public safety with indirect intent. Last week, the Split County Court returned the indictment to the prosecution qualifying the crime as a crime committed out of negligence, which carries a less severe sentence, and referring the case to a lower court.


(Hina) 

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