Saturday, June 27, could be one of the on the hottest days this summer in Belgrade, but also the day when politics, technology and meteorology will intersect in the center of the city.
While forecasters predict temperatures of up to 38 degrees Celsius and warn of a very high risk of heat stress, Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) is preparing a large rally "Serbia, one family", with a program that, apart from political messages, includes robots, a turbo-folk spectacle, activities for children and a catering offer.
If the weather forecast is correct, the biggest opponent of the participants will not be political dissenters, but the relentless heat.
Photo: Tanjug/Amir HamzagićGathering "Serbia, one family"
Republic Hydrometeorological Institute warns of very high temperatures, with an orange weather-alarm for most of Serbia, while the maximum daily temperature in Belgrade is expected to be in the range characteristic of a heat wave.
In such circumstances, doctors regularly advise avoiding prolonged exposure to the outdoors, drinking enough fluids and protection from direct sunlight.
Despite this, the organizers expect a large number of people during the all-day program, which starts even before the official political part of the rally.
Photo: Tanjug/Amir HamzagićGathering "Serbia, one family"
Special attention was attracted by the announcement that fans will Aleksandar Vučić they will be able to see the robots Milutin and Dragutin, who, as it is said professionally in gaming circles, will "braid the stakes", specifically Moravac.
It will truly be one of the most unusual details in the history of political gatherings in Serbia, which, let's be honest, have already witnessed all kinds of miracles.
At such gatherings, the barbecue has been an almost default part of the atmosphere for years, so the smell of grilled meat will probably be one of the hallmarks of the day.
The turbo-folk giant Aca Lukas should further warm up the mood of the audience, with the collaboration of folk fairies Vesna Zmijanac and Mira Škorić.
Photo: Tanjug/Amir HamzagićGathering "Serbia, one family"
SNS leaders also announced that the name of the Party's electoral list for the upcoming elections will be presented at the meeting, along with key messages about unity and the country's development plans.
However, it remains an open question how much the combination of hot asphalt, smoke from the grill and almost forty degrees will please the crowd.
This time, perhaps the most talked about is exactly what is not part of the political program — how to survive a few hours outdoors, because unlike the speakers who will cool down before their performance, their listeners will constantly be at a high temperature.
The video taken by "Vremena" reporter Katarina Stevanović on the highway shows that a large number of buses with Vučić's supporters were headed towards Belgrade in an organized manner.
Buses come from all over Serbia, and there are also some from North Macedonia.
Photo: Katarina StevanovićBus with SNS supporters
Due to the high heat, some buses boiled over, so the question is rightly asked whether the people at the rally will be able to do it.
Academic plenum: The government endangers the health of citizens
The Academic Plenum announced on Saturday that the government, by organizing the rally in Belgrade, "is exposing citizens to pressure and potential health risks due to the high temperatures and conditions in which the rally is held."
The announcement states that employees of public and public utility companies, as well as employees of companies that are partly financed from state or local budgets, today are allegedly under a work obligation to attend a rally in front of the National Assembly of Serbia, at temperatures of around 37 degrees, and to "play as loyal sympathizers of Aleksandar Vučić".
The Academic Plenum assesses that their health is at risk in this way, and that the meeting is being used for, as stated, "marketing reasons", in order to make the number of attendees appear larger compared to previous student gatherings, which the statement claims gathered around 200.000 people.
The announcement also states that it is, in their opinion, a "desperate move by the outgoing regime", with the claim that the public "has become clear that the students are winning".
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