Serbia needs a strategic political agreement with the European Union and the United States of America. The recent unsuccessful negotiations on election conditions with the mediation of the European Parliament clearly showed that citizens must fight for a normal life in our country and that no one else can and will not do it for them. Persistent civil resistance is possible if we have a clear vision of where we should go as a country. Also, we need to know what obstacles await us on the way.
America and the European Union are entering a new technological revolution. Environmental destruction and intolerable social differences in the most developed countries have put the entire planet in terrifying danger. The philosophy of economic development is changing in order for humanity to avoid catastrophe.
Serbia is faced with a choice: either we will join this process of major changes, or we will condemn ourselves to extinction. In a world that is busy with tectonic geopolitical changes, nobody will help us if we don't help ourselves.
AGREEMENT WITH THE WEST
AKCIJA and Zajedno za Serbia, which I lead, laid the foundation of the policy in the program document "Green Deal for Serbia", and we are asking for support from the citizens of Serbia for the goals set in this program. An agreement with the West, new people in politics and a solution to the KiM issue as soon as possible.
Value-wise, it is not possible to have a good life without institutionally secured freedom. On the other hand, Serbia, which is physically surrounded by EU and NATO members, cannot solve its security problems and establish an economic policy of strong, rapid and sustainable development without a major agreement with the West.
In the next five years, we can completely change our country. The basis of the new economic policy is the establishment of a circular economy model. A reduction in the use of new raw materials, a huge increase in recycling and the use of materials thus obtained in production, an extension of the life of industrial products and a drastic reduction in waste production. This concept implies a fundamental redirection of budgetary and private investments.
America has a plan to invest 2000 billion dollars in the transformation of its economy in the next few years. The EU has projected budget investments of 1700 billion euros in the next seven years.
We in Serbia are asking citizens for support for the largest possible investments in science, technological development, education, health and culture. Councils will be formed for each of these areas, and our most important experts, who live in the country or abroad, will be included in them. Without the initiative or consent of these bodies, no significant decision in these areas will be able to be made.
Serbia needs a movement for entrepreneurship. Anyone who wants to work independently and invest their money will have the best possible tax regime, predictable subsidies and advisory support to improve their business. Subsidies in agriculture will be at least 200 euros per hectare, with strong advisory support, which should enable doubling the earnings of anyone engaged in this activity.
It will be possible to isolate every house and apartment in Serbia. Citizens will be able to get long-term, subsidized loans for these projects. In this way, everyone will be able to increase the value of a square meter of their real estate, while at the same time reducing heating costs. The construction and insulation material industry will enter an investment cycle of three to five billion euros.
Garbage will be removed from every household in Serbia, and disposal of communal waste will be ensured at proper sanitary landfills.
Within five years, everyone can have quality drinking water and the issue of waste water disposal solved. There will not be a single populated place where waste water is not treated.
What justification is there to borrow three and a half billion euros through an interstate agreement, when we have EU funds at our disposal, from which up to 80 percent of the money for these projects can be obtained free of charge?! That issue must be resolved in free elections.
Each industrial plant will receive support for the technical solution of harmful emissions. Then there will be no forgiveness for anyone who pollutes the environment.
Every place will have efficient and cheap public transport. This will dramatically reduce pollution compared to today's situation.
We want the citizens to make a decision that they have the right to directly determine, in more than eight thousand places throughout the country, what the property tax they pay will be invested in. I am sure that we can reach an agreement with the EU and America on financial support for this form of direct democracy. Instead of depending on the will of the regime's kabadahs, all of us together, as equal citizens, will decide on the most important matters of our daily lives, every year, by fair voting.
HOW TO KEEP SERBIA FROM EXTINGUISHING
If we manage public resources well, all this is achievable. In Šabac, I led people who showed that this kind of politics is possible in Serbia.
Rio Tinto's investment is a paradigm of freakish state leadership. There is a real risk that this mine will threaten the underground water and completely disable the water supply of Loznica, Šabac and Belgrade, as well as all the municipalities located between these cities. This large underground lake, which is now endangered, is so powerful that it has the potential to supply all of Vojvodina, in addition to all of us who now drink water from it. This is how the problem in Zrenjanin is solved, but it also eliminates the trouble for each of the two-thirds of the inhabitants of the Province who today have high-quality drinking water. We are planning to do a study that will show the economic and development potential of this precious natural resource. How much is this water worth today, and how much will it be worth in a few decades. On the other hand, we must know what evil awaits us if we destroy this natural wealth.
Recently, the Ecological Uprising was organized in Belgrade. Together with our allies, we plan to organize an ecological uprising in every place in Serbia. We want to say throughout the country what was said in the capital. We will fight for clean water, soil and air. But we want to tell the citizens that the final victory is possible only if we win the right to free and fair elections. Firm and persistent civil resistance is the way to defeat dark politics and general lawlessness.
A true opposition needs a reasonable agreement. Ideologically and programmatically close parties and organizations should, as blocs or columns, seek the support of citizens for the policies they represent. With NDMBG, Ćuta, numerous environmental organizations, activists and distinguished individuals, AKCIJA and ZZS are conducting discussions, which I believe will lead us to a unique performance. We are ready to support whoever gets the most votes in the opposition to become prime minister and mayor. We propose a non-aggression pact in the opposition. We should all work together to form polling committees and defend polling stations during election day. Therefore, we should prepare for the elections, but not give up the fight for election conditions. We are going to the squares all over Serbia to fight for free voting. Freedom must be won.
In Serbia, there are protests today because of Zi Djin and Linglong, because of Rio Tinto, Makish and Reva, because of the decision of the Supreme Court of Cassation in banking disputes, because of the scandal in Vrnjačka Banja and the shame with the water in Zrenjanin. All this civil rebellion, in order to change Serbia, must have one origin - fair elections. And the victory of normal life in those elections.
In today's Serbia, the state, in all its forms, has become a machine for collecting votes for the regime. Schools, hospitals, administration, police, prosecutor's offices, public companies are places where lists of safe votes are made today.
The citizens of Serbia, in these difficult times, are making a big decision about what will happen to us. Every year, one Pozarevac or Sombor emigrates from Serbia. Capable and self-confident people leave. They vote with their feet.
Every citizen makes a decision whether to join the fight for their daughter, son and grandchildren to stay in Serbia. We, as a people, decide whether in the 21st century Serbia will be a country of welfare for its citizens or whether we will shut down because we are not capable of managing ourselves normally.
The author is the president of Together for Serbia