Residents of Novobeograd blocks, who oppose the construction of a ten-story building to the detriment of the green area in block 63, blocked Jurija Gagarina Street yesterday in the afternoon, and in the evening an incident broke out when a few people gathered started to remove the fence around the construction site, which caused the security to react was hired by an investor.
Dobrica Veselinović, a representative of the Green-Left Front and a member of the Provisional Authority of the capital of Serbia, told Vreme that yesterday's protest was part of a major rebellion against investor urbanism, which the SNS and SPS government has been carrying out for years and which is happening all over Belgrade.
"Citizen protests are raging from Bežaniska kosa and blocks, to Zvezdara, Borča...", states Veselinović.
The first meeting was held yesterday, at the same time as there was a protest on Bežanijska kosa, where tenants are protesting against the construction of a residential and business complex with a 120-meter skyscraper, also at the expense of green areas.
And the Center for Local Self-Government (CLS) announced that it strongly opposes construction in block 63, "because it is an obvious violation of urban planning principles, as well as the will and opinion of the citizens who live next to that location."
Where does this development of the city lead?
This kind of development of the city, Veselinović points out, has led to people standing in traffic jams for hours, to the fact that there are no places in kindergartens for children, that health centers are falling apart, that the city is among the most polluted in the world, "and all for the sake of the profit of a small number of people." close to the authorities".
With the goal of mass housing construction, the construction of a 10-story building, according to CLS, would continue to occupy green areas in open blocks in New Belgrade, thereby further reducing the quality of life of the citizens of New Belgrade.
"The new Belgrade must have facilities that make it another city center, and not make a mockery of it with investor urbanism and once again the 'bedroom' of Belgrade," CLS believes.
"Stop investor urbanism"
Back in mid-February 2018, "Ne davimo Beograd" pointed out the last sold green area in block 63. Namely, they fenced off that area in order to inform and warn their neighbors that a huge residential and commercial building is planned to be built on it. about the construction of which no one asked them and about which they had no information at all".
On that fence was the inscription "Stop investor urbanism".
Then, more precisely six years ago, in the announcement "We are not drowning Belgrade", they stated that the City Administration of the City of Belgrade sold this green area through an auction to the Construction Directorate of Serbia in April 2017.
"On an area of over 8000 m2, the construction of a residential-commercial building with a height of over 10 floors is planned. With a planned 40.000 m2, the new facility will be the size of a Belgrade woman", the announcement said.
Dobrica Veselinović reminds that the movement "Don't drown Belgrade" organized protests in 2018 and wrote remarks when the plot in block 63 was sold and "now supports the citizens in their intention to preserve their way of life, not only in block 63 but throughout Belgrade. and defense of green areas in their settlements".
Citizens' gatherings will, as announced, continue every day, and a large protest is scheduled for February 20 at 18 p.m.
