{"id":219215,"date":"2026-09-25T14:22:13","date_gmt":"2026-09-25T12:22:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/serbiantimes.info\/en\/?p=219215"},"modified":"2026-09-25T14:22:15","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T12:22:15","slug":"nothing-is-difficult-when-serbias-destiny-is-at-stake-family-matic-from-detroit-will-drive-5-hours-to-vote-at-the-consulate-in-chicago-be-like-the-matic-family-too","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/serbiantimes.info\/en\/nothing-is-difficult-when-serbias-destiny-is-at-stake-family-matic-from-detroit-will-drive-5-hours-to-vote-at-the-consulate-in-chicago-be-like-the-matic-family-too\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cNOTHING IS DIFFICULT WHEN SERBIA\u2019S DESTINY IS AT STAKE!\u201d Family Mati\u0107 from Detroit will drive 5 hours to vote at the Consulate in Chicago! Be like the Mati\u0107 family too!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

While Serbs in many American cities and states are fighting for their voting rights and calling for new polling stations to be opened outside those already operating at embassies and consulates, the Mati\u0107 family from Detroit has decided to take their voting destiny into their own hands!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so the three of them, mother Olivera, father Sa\u0161a and son Mateja, will set off by car on October 23 to vote, traveling from the city where they live, Detroit, to Chicago, where the Serbian Consulate and polling station are located.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Five hours of driving is not a short trip, but for them, as they say, it is not a problem.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

-We will most likely leave on Friday evening so that we can arrive safely and be ready to vote on Saturday morning, October 24 (in the U.S., voting takes place one day earlier than in Serbia). We do not want to leave anything to chance because these are crucial elections for our Serbia. We want to support our youth, our intelligence, our future, so these days we are also motivating others to follow in our footsteps.<\/strong> We are calling friends in Detroit, Michigan, as well as in other states and cities, sending them instructions and reminding them to register to vote. We have already managed to convince some of them, so several friends from Michigan, as well as from Milwaukee, will join us in Chicago, Olivera Mati\u0107 told Serbian Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

WHEN SERBIA CALLS, NOTHING IS DIFFICULT:<\/strong> Mateja, Olivera, Miona and Sa\u0161a Mati\u0107<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She contacted us from California, where she is visiting her daughter with her husband, who is completing her master\u2019s studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

-We are getting ready to celebrate her graduation, but today we also helped her submit her application to vote at the Consulate in Chicago, and to emphasize that she wants to vote in Los Angeles, where a large number of our people have organized and are calling for a new polling station to be opened.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Olivera says their children were born in Toronto, far from Serbia, but that they speak Serbian well and follow what is happening in Serbia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

-Last year, we all went to Serbia together, took part in the student protests, felt that enormous energy, and even then agreed that we would vote when the time came. We all care about change coming to our homeland because it is clear that things cannot continue like this<\/strong>, our interviewee emphasizes, adding that she and her husband also drove to Chicago on election day the previous two times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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TOGETHER AT THE STUDENT PROTESTS IN SERBIA:<\/strong> The Mati\u0107 family<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And while some members of the Serbian diaspora do not see the point of going to the polls, she disagrees:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

-Every vote matters, ours from the diaspora just as much as those from Serbia. If that were not the case, they would not be fighting to open new polling stations. Maybe it seems unimportant to someone in the diaspora, but not to us.<\/strong> Even though we do not live in Serbia, it is our country and we care about it, and these elections are a matter of \u201cto be or not to be.\u201d Finally, a new, untainted force has emerged that can drive away the darkness and give us a new chance and a new beginning, Olivera Mati\u0107 told us at the end of the conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Voting More Important Than a Concert<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Olivera and Sa\u0161a\u2019s son Mateja<\/strong> was supposed to perform on Saturday, October 23, with his rock band Zastava<\/strong>, in which he is the singer, guitarist and leader, but he postponed the concert due to \u201cforce majeure\u201d \u2013 the elections!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

-Mateja really wants to fulfill his civic duty and support the students, so he decided that instead of performing, he would travel with us to Chicago. There will be time for the band and music, Serbia is the priority at this moment, Olivera says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Source: <\/strong>Antonije Kova\u010devi\u0107 Foto: <\/strong>Privatna arhiva<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MORE TOPICS:<\/mark><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

WORKED AS AN EXPERT IN THE \u0110IN\u0110I\u0106 MURDER CASE, AND NOW HE IS ON THE STUDENT LIST: Professor Slobodan Savi\u0107 says it is time for experts to finally have their say! (VIDEO)<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

TRAGIC END TO SEARCH FOR YOUNG CHESS PLAYER: Body of missing Luka pulled from the Sava River! (PHOTO)<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

AFTER FOUR YEARS ON THE RUN: American wanted for murder of 15-year-old girl in Tennessee arrested in Ljubljana!<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

RTS HOST REMOVED FROM THE AIR: Dragan Vu\u010deli\u0107: \u201cI did not want to remain silent. If that is the price, I will pay it with pride!\u201d<\/strong><\/a>
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While Serbs in many American cities and states are fighting for their voting rights and calling for new polling stations to be opened outside those already operating at embassies and consulates, the Mati\u0107 family from Detroit has decided to take their voting destiny into their own hands! And so the three of them, mother Olivera, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":219219,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","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":[5],"tags":[14427,11456,8999,14428,14429,7162],"class_list":["post-219215","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diaspora","tag-bend-zastava","tag-izbori-2026","tag-konzulat-srbije-u-cikagu","tag-olivera-matic","tag-porodica-matic-detroit","tag-studentska-lista","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