A protest called ‘Revolting Against the Mafia’ was held in Novi Sad over the violence against the participants of last week’s rally against the adoption of a General Urban Plan (GUP) for the city of Novi Sad.
The protesters demanded that persons responsible for the violence against citizens be prosecuted and for a referendum on the Novi Sad GUP to be called.
The protesters told the city authorities that they were not afraid of them and that they will continue to fight for their city and against those who want to destroy it in the interest of big capital.
During the protest march, the demonstrators spilt paint and broke a window on the local offices of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).
Activist Brajan Brkovic sent a message to Novi Sad Mayor Milos Vucevic that it is not good for Novi Sad to be led by a man who, instead of looking after the city’s development, “develops bank accounts of privileged property developers.”
“Novi Sad is a typical example of a clash between big capital and ordinary citizens. I appeal on the city authorities not to play with fire because people will rise and then no one will be able to help them (the authorities),” said Brkovic.
“We will not allow violence, we will be a big political family that defends every citizen’s right to think freely,” People’s Party deputy leader Borislav Novakovic said.
The protest was also attended by activists from Belgrade, Zrenjanin and other Serbian cities and by opposition politicians.
It was organized by several non-governmental organizations against the incident earlier this week when the private security and police violently acted against citizens and activists who protested outside the City Assembly against the adoption of the GUP and demanded that their representative be present at the Assembly meeting at which it was to be adopted. NGOs also demand that those responsible for the violence be prosecuted.
To remind, on Thursday, the Novi Sad City Assembly adopted the disputed General Urban Plan (GUP), valid until 2030, which, according to environmental activists and experts, together with the construction of a new bridge over the Danube, paves the way for the construction of the residential building complex called Novi Sad Waterfront, which will lead to the devastation of nature there that is a valuable habitat of protected animal and plant species, as well as jeopardize the city’s the natural flood protection.
(N1, 28.07.2022)
https://rs.n1info.com/vesti/protest-buna-protiv-mafije-u-novom-sadu/
Photo credits: Nenad Mihajlovic / Nova.rs
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