Three informal groups of citizens have called for a protest in Čačak on Sunday, January 18, in front of the Gymnasium, over the “non-purpose” spending of money from the city budget on a concert organized by the city authorities to mark the celebration of the New Year according to the Julian calendar.
The citizen groups (CG) “Čačanski front,” “Citizens of Čačak in Blockade,” and “Pokretač” are also calling for a protest over the “persecution of citizens who expressed their dissatisfaction with that concert.”
CG “Čačanski front” stated that the protest is not against music, art, or individuals, but against a system in which public money is spent without control and without justification for such an expense at a time when the city has numerous unresolved infrastructural and social problems.
“Citizens who rise up against injustice are unjustifiably punished thanks to judicial mechanisms that are applied selectively and serve intimidation rather than the protection of the public interest,” the statement by “Čačanski front” said.
“Čačanski front” emphasized that the city budget is the money of all citizens, that institutions must work in the public interest, and that the fight against corruption is not won by impulse, but by patience and legitimacy.
“Citizens of Čačak in Blockade” state that the reasons for Sunday’s protest in Čačak are the non-transparent and irresponsible spending of money from the city budget, the selective work of the police, prosecution, and judiciary, the persecution of citizens who publicly express dissatisfaction, and the calling of snap elections.
This citizen group assesses that the events in Čačak are not isolated incidents of a local character.
“This is not a question of musical taste or a single concert; this is a continuation of a rebellion that has awakened society, it is a response to a system that has killed 16 people and our collective answer to the question of whether we will live as free citizens or as hostages of our own state,” the statement by CG “Citizens of Čačak in Blockade” reads.
The city authorities organized a concert on the city square to mark the celebration of the New Year according to the Julian calendar, which, according to data from the Public Procurement Portal, cost around 3.7 million dinars excluding VAT, or 4.5 million dinars including tax.
Civic activists disrupted the concert by Ana Bekuta with whistles, vuvuzelas, horns, and by throwing snowballs, after which the police filed six criminal charges and five misdemeanor charges against 11 activists for “violent, indecent, brazen, and reckless behavior.”
MORE TOPICS:
HILANDAR TURNED WHITE: Snow delighted Serbian monks after almost a decade! (PHOTO)
Source:Nova, Foto: printscreen/epicentarpress.rs