{"id":213202,"date":"2026-06-27T20:39:20","date_gmt":"2026-06-27T18:39:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/serbiantimes.info\/en\/?p=213202"},"modified":"2026-06-27T20:39:21","modified_gmt":"2026-06-27T18:39:21","slug":"a-legend-deserves-a-monument-will-the-fica-finally-get-a-statue-in-kragujevac","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/serbiantimes.info\/en\/a-legend-deserves-a-monument-will-the-fica-finally-get-a-statue-in-kragujevac\/","title":{"rendered":"A LEGEND DESERVES A MONUMENT: Will the \u201cFi\u0107a\u201d finally get a statue in Kragujevac?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The car that for decades was a symbol of Kragujevac and one of the trademarks of the former Yugoslav automotive industry could finally receive a monument in the city where it was created. A new initiative has once again sparked the question of whether the time has come for the \u201cFi\u0107a,\u201d the \u201cZastava 750\u201d model, to be given the recognition it has long deserved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The idea of erecting a monument was recently revived by the city committee of an opposition political party, with a proposal that the memorial be placed in the center of the roundabout at the exit from Kragujevac toward Bato\u010dina, where a monument to the \u201cFIAT\u201d company already stands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Association of \u201cFi\u0107a\u201d enthusiasts from Kragujevac, which brings together more than 320 members, has welcomed the initiative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo be honest, this idea has existed since 2012, when we submitted a petition and citizens\u2019 signatures to the city administration. We are glad that it is being discussed again because we believe Kragujevac deserves a monument to the \u2018Fi\u0107a.\u2019 Financing should be the responsibility of the City of Kragujevac and the state of Serbia, while we can discuss the location,\u201d said Velibor Jevti\u0107 from the management of the Kragujevac \u201cFi\u0107a\u201d enthusiasts association for N1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

He emphasizes that love for this car has long gone beyond a hobby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEach of us sees something special in the \u2018Fi\u0107a.\u2019 It represents relaxation, socializing, and a way of life. We travel to gatherings across the former Yugoslavia. My \u2018Fi\u0107ko\u2019 is 47 years old; I have invested around 4,000 euros in it, and I do not regret a single dinar,\u201d Jevti\u0107 said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His colleague Mikica Nikoli\u0107 from Maslo\u0161evo shares a similar view, believing that too much time has already passed waiting for this idea to be realized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe will easily find a place for a monument to the car that practically got Kragujevac back on its feet. It is a symbol of this city,\u201d Nikoli\u0107 said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He bought his first \u201cFi\u0107a\u201d back in 1975 and, as he says, has never been without one since.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am a mechanic by profession, so I always carried spare parts with me and fixed breakdowns on the road. I drove the \u2018Fi\u0107a\u2019 to Italy about twenty times. I have covered more than 300,000 kilometers, and I spent about 2,000 euros just on repainting. In total, the car cost me around 5,000 euros and is worth every euro invested,\u201d Nikoli\u0107 said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Love for the \u201cFi\u0107a\u201d is also shared by younger generations. \u017deljko Milivojevi\u0107 from Vin\u010da near Topola drives a 1982 \u201cZastava 750\u201d and is a member of the Kragujevac association.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been with \u2018Fi\u0107e\u2019 my whole life. My father is a bodywork mechanic, so the love for this car came naturally. I support every initiative for Kragujevac to get a monument to the \u2018Fi\u0107a,\u2019 because this car greatly contributed to the city and that must not be forgotten,\u201d Milivojevi\u0107 said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His opinion is shared by Slavi\u0161a Uro\u0161evi\u0107 from Topola.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy car is 43 years old and it is not for sale. I have invested around 7,500 euros in it. I have driven various vehicles, but I always returned to the \u2018Fi\u0107a.\u2019 I am glad that there is more and more talk about building a monument,\u201d Uro\u0161evi\u0107 emphasized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Most of the citizens whom the N1 team encountered in Veliki Park, where \u201cFi\u0107e\u201d are on display, support the idea that the car which marked the city\u2019s history should receive a permanent memorial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a reminder, the \u201cZastava 750,\u201d popularly known as the \u201cFi\u0107a,\u201d was produced in Kragujevac from 1955 to 1985. Over three decades, as many as 923,487 units rolled off the production lines of this car, which for many families in the former Yugoslavia represented their first automobile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Around its production, an entire network of subcontractors was developed across the former SFRY. \u201cJugoplastika\u201d from Split produced interiors, \u201cIskra\u201d from Kranj manufactured electrical components, while within the \u201cCrvena Zastava\u201d system there were 47 companies and as many as 432 subcontractors, of which 220 were directly involved in production. At its peak, \u201cZastava\u201d employed around 32,000 workers, and thousands of families, thanks to the \u201cFi\u0107a,\u201d found livelihoods and remained in Kragujevac.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Source<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>: N1<\/a> Foto:<\/strong> Zastava promo<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The car that for decades was a symbol of Kragujevac and one of the trademarks of the former Yugoslav automotive industry could finally receive a monument in the city where it was created. A new initiative has once again sparked the question of whether the time has come for the \u201cFi\u0107a,\u201d the \u201cZastava 750\u201d model, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2169,"featured_media":213207,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"newspack_featured_image_position":"","newspack_post_subtitle":"","newspack_article_summary_title":"Overview:","newspack_article_summary":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"newspack_show_updated_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[13291,233,578,13292],"class_list":["post-213202","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-serbia","tag-fica","tag-kragujevac","tag-zastava","tag-zastava-750","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t