The Serbian Progressive Party is celebrating its 17th birthday in the Sports Hall "Crystal Hall" in Zrenjanin, shortly after it was announced in that city that water after two decades it is finally drinkable.
SNS also made a birthday video with the message: "Serbian Progressive Party is not only politics, but a community of people who care about each other."
However, what do the people of Zrenjanin say at this celebration?
Angry Zrenjanin citizens
Zrenjanin high school professor Senka Jankov told "Vreme" that as a citizen and opposition councilor, she hopes that this is "the last manifestation and celebration they will ever have, especially in Zrenjanin."
"The people of Zrenjanin are very angry and disappointed because it was announced that the water is safe to drink without any relevant evidence. We could see in most of the comments on social networks that people do not believe such information at all. It is for this reason that we believe that the arrival of Aleksandar Vučić here is actually an attempt to sell people the story of how Zrenjanin is taken care of and at the same time soften the civil and opposition struggle against the government," explains Jankov.
He adds that the citizens who organized the assemblies and the students in Zrenjanin are very active, as well as the opposition. "We think that this is one of the attempts to consolidate his power in Zrenjanin, which has weakened quite a bit."
He also emphasizes that on the streets of Zrenjanin you can see a large presence of the police and the army, especially around the "Crystal Hall".
"Citizens are shocked"
The founder of the New Optimism movement and provincial MP Branislav Guta Grubački told "Vreme": "That celebration of the so-called birthday in Zrenjanin and Vojvodina, where the grave crime of killing 16 innocent citizens took place in Novi Sad, 10 days before the anniversary of that tragedy, can only mean a blatant provocation."
He states that the citizens are "shocked" by it.
"The vast majority of citizens suffer the torture of an organized bandit association, to which nothing is sacred, except for itself and the interests they have exercising such power. The power of naked power, which protects the rule of the worst, now already people gathered 'from stake and rope', who know that something has fallen on them that they do not deserve. And who feel that they will soon be responsible for all their misdeeds and crimes," explains Grubački.
When asked if they will organize any action because of the meeting in Zrenjanin, Jankov says that she did not see on the networks that anything will be organized, but she believes that people will gather in some form of protest in front of the "Crystal Hall".
"I believe that due to the increased presence of the security forces, nothing is publicly written or published about it. However, I believe that the assemblies of citizens and students will appear," Jankov concluded.
Water problem
After a two-decade problem with drinking water full of arsenic, the mayor of Zrenjanin announced on Thursday (October 9) that the water is safe to drink. However, citizens do not believe in it.
Grubački emphasized at the Assembly of AP Vojvodina as a member of the ZLF: "Today, Nero is coming to Zrenjanin for a party, to celebrate the birthday of his para-organization and to put out the fire. With water. The one that is supposedly safe to drink. But the biggest affair in Serbia, the affair related to Zrenjanin's water, can't be covered up with make-up, or a ban on speech, or silence those who know the facts. You will answer!".
He added that information was published on the Facebook profile that the water was safe to drink and asked why this information was not announced at a special conference. "Why wasn't the City Assembly convened in which everyone would give an account of everything that happened in connection with that water factory?"
"How come there are no people from Zrenjan who are rejoicing in the squares because they got healthy, drinkable water? For a very simple reason - because they don't believe," Grubački concluded.
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