Activist and former basketball player Vladimir Štimac a protest started on Saturday at noon in front of the General Secretariat of the President of the Republic, which, as he announced, will last 24 hours, that is, until Sunday noon. Štimac, who pitched a tent in front of Aleksandar Vučić's cabinet, also announced that if Prime Minister Miloš Vučević and Novi Sad Mayor Milan Đurić do not resign because of the tragedy that happened at the railway station in that city, to invite citizens to start a 48-hour protest next week in front of the General Secretariat of the President of the Republic.
VREME: Why did you decide to protest?
Vladimir Štimac: I came to remind people where all decisions in the Republic of Serbia come from, that only one person makes decisions, and that is Aleksandar Vučić, and that there is no prime minister or other people, that these are only administrative positions.
However, you are not looking for Vučić's dismissal, but the resignation of the prime minister and the mayor of Novi Sad?
That's right.
Why?
Because it shows political responsibility for what happened. Another very important thing is that through all the performance of the government that lasts for a month, we still don't have any details about who is to blame, who is behind those companies, what is happening. We only have 15 innocent people killed. The citizens of Serbia and I will not stop there, we want to know the truth, so that those 15 lives are not lost just like that.
Objectively, both the citizens and you cannot search for the truth after this much time, however it may take some time.
I will seek the truth in all possible ways, I have the will and the desire. I care about Serbia and those 15 lives, and I don't want them to ever be forgotten. I will fight my fight as I know how, I believe that people will support me, I have already received many messages and I thank them for everything.
Then why do you stand alone?
Because I didn't announce it to anyone, I wanted to do it myself, but I believe people will come. Another thing, I said that I will stand here until Sunday at noon, that is, 24 hours, and I submitted verbal requests. If they are not fulfilled, next week I will come here again for 48 hours and invite people to make a camp together and create constant pressure.
There is a lot going on, sometimes protests, sometimes blockades, it seems like bee stings, a little bit everywhere. How does it all look to you?
It seems extraordinary to me, because at the moment I support some mass gatherings, but here it is shown that the whole of Serbia is not satisfied with what is happening. Everyone should be free to express their rebellion and therefore we see that the government does not feel good, as soon as they send people from the municipalities to every possible point to provoke. They don't even have activists to put up posters for them anymore.
Are you afraid that someone will beat someone up at those roadblocks, considering that everyone's nerves are thin, and that, as you said, there are many provocateurs?
I don't think so. I think we should also talk to those people. Three or four days ago I had a conversation on the street, two guys appeared out of nowhere, and they started questioning me about this and that. I told them, “Wait, people. Take it easy. Let's see what was done. There are more than 200 cases, no one responsible. Out of 100 percent of the country, there are perhaps ten percent in the SNS who live well. The rest of the people live in sheer misery and it's chaos."
You said that you recognized some people. You probably meant Red Star fans. That was left a little unfinished.
No, no, I didn't. It wasn't the fans. I was very wrong there, they were only municipal officials.
Did you report them, as you said?
I wanted to leave, but the organization "The Bridge Remains" went before me and reported them, but I put myself at the service of the police, if I need to give some additional information.
Do you think that all these actions, and we know how the regime media reports, that they contribute to reaching someone or that everything is the same as always - a black picture here, a white picture there?
Do not expect anything from the regime media. I am very sorry that these people are being used. We saw a few days ago that the "Informer" reporter may have been afraid of everything at some point, but there is no reason why, because no one will harm him or anyone. He didn't know how to put two sentences together. We see that they are pushing some side that is not realistic, they are making up stories, talking about some stupid things, they are clinging to some miserable things that this people will not accept.
