“EVERYTHING IS DESTROYED”: Željko Guarded Students with Veterans, Now Someone Set Fire to Part of His Property! (VIDEO)

A fire that broke out on July 1st, in the middle of the day, completely destroyed part of the “ReWild” Center for Returning to Nature near Lapovo. The property is surrounded by greenery, and nothing else nearby burned, leading one of the founders, Željko Ilčić, to suspect “human factor.” There is also a possibility that the fire was deliberately set, so Ilčić has offered a cash reward for information about the arsonist.

“It wasn’t an open-air fire; tree trunks 30 centimeters thick burned, tree roots burned. I think the fire was set, and who did it and why, that needs to be determined by investigation. Everything is destroyed. People ask me if I can repair the damage; I say I can’t, I have to start all over again. From scratch,” Željko Ilčić tells Nova.rs.

For a decade, he and a group of friends have been building the “ReWild” Center for Returning to Nature, which comprises several sections, all with the aim of helping urban dwellers reconnect with nature, to “walk barefoot on the grass, to get wet in the rain.” This complex also houses a horse sanctuary, the first in Serbia and the Balkans, as well as a workshop for making bows.

However, Ilčić suspects he has made an enemy.

“I am not politically aligned; I don’t fight for this or that party, neither for nor against Vučić. I fight against crime and corruption, for a functional system. I participate in protests even though I’m not politically active, because I want the state and its institutions to function. I was at the protest in Belgrade on March 15th. I am an associate member of the Association of War Veterans, and with them, I participated in creating a buffer zone between people and those in ‘Ćaciland.’ I don’t know, maybe I offended someone because of that. I haven’t received threats, but I know many people who were at the protest have. Tires were slashed, windows broken. Another reason why the fire might have happened is perhaps my fight against poachers. That’s a lucrative business for criminals, and maybe I offended someone there,” Željko Ilčić tells Nova.rs.

Reward for Information About the Arsonist

Ilčić also offered a reward for information about the fire, his years of savings.

“Every freedom, every fight against crime and violence has a price. Here’s what it cost: An arson attack on a secluded plot completely surrounded by greenery, far from any grain, straw, stubble. 10 years of struggle, an eight-year-old tree plantation, wooden gazebos, one hectare and 20 ares of burnt ground. If that’s the price to pay – it’s fine. Paid. And it will be again, if necessary. Freedom has no price. But… extreme situations require extreme solutions, so: I, Željko Ilčić, a free man, farmer, and host from Lapovo, personally offer a reward of 3,770 euros (that’s all I can, my entire multi-year life insurance from Sava, because I won’t need it after this) for information on who set the fire and burned the only place, the ‘ReWild’ Center for Returning to Nature, where all people were always welcome. Just so you know – we didn’t start this conflict, they did,” Željko Ilčić wrote.

The burned part of the complex is a separate area with the fewest buildings, but it is still a major financial blow to “ReWild.”

Horse Sanctuary

“The horse sanctuary is an expensive endeavor; we don’t get help from either the state or local self-government. This location, which has been destroyed, served us to supplement income; people came here to reconnect with nature; you wouldn’t believe how many people have never set foot barefoot on grass. We taught them how to build seasonal shelters, find food in nature, and enjoy themselves. This is a huge loss for us, especially since it will take years for the trees to grow back, but I’m not giving up, and we’re starting with the reconstruction,” our interlocutor says.

Ancient Craft

Besides being the only horse sanctuary in Serbia and the Balkans, it also houses a workshop for making wooden bows.

“It’s an old craft; I’m one of the few who practices it. I have a master’s certificate, not to sound like ‘praise me, my mouth,’ but I am among the top 10 masters in Europe. The German national team uses the bows I make in the workshop. I am a fighter, and I will not give up. I hope people will show solidarity and help, because what we are fighting and advocating for is good for the whole society. It wasn’t mine that burned, it was ours. One of our projects we advocate for is to declare Lapovo Moravište, a part of the Morava River near us, an area of state interest due to its rich nature and numerous migratory birds that nest there,” says Željko Ilčić.

The bank account number to which citizens can donate funds for the reconstruction of the “ReWild” Center for Returning to Nature has been published on social media. Times are tough, but the center hopes that with the help of goodwill people, who have already shown they can be supportive, they will succeed in rebuilding what the flames destroyed.