The squares in Makiš are more important than the health of the Belgraders – Society

In the session of the Assembly of Belgrade, the last of this year, and convened “quickly”, yesterday the Detailed Regulation Plan of the Makiš area was approved, which converts a part of the water source, from which it is supplied the capital with potable water, on construction sites. 4.5 million square meters of luxurious residential and commercial spaces.

Photo: Aleksandar Roknić

The fact that the city government is in a hurry to start building a new Belgrade on the water as soon as possible is demonstrated by the fact that the session of parliament, in which this project was legalized, in many ways problematic, was held in an extraordinary way two weeks after the understanding and “public” debate. the document, which raised a lot of dust in professional circles and civic initiatives and movements, and which was developed in the midst of a pandemic, almost without the presence of citizens and with the abandonment of more than 200 objections received to the plan.

Rade Veljanovski and Zora Vuletic from the Civic Democratic Forum (GDF) are the only two opposition councilors who in yesterday’s session drew attention to all known aspects of the harmfulness of this project and refused to accept the PDR for the area by Makis.

– In the first place, in this extensive plan, it can be seen that the attractiveness of the place is put first, which immediately explains that it is mostly commercial motives and interests, and even private ones, and not public interests of Belgraders . It will be a completely new city, in which there will be apartments, shops, sports facilities in the immediate vicinity of the water source. We have announced the opinions of the experts we are in contact with, that the environment is in danger, regardless of whether the Jaroslav Černi Institute has carried out any analysis. The government councilors told us that all those who are against the construction and realization of that plan are actually against the Belgrade metro, Veljanovski said in a statement.

He added that it is clear that the city needs a metro, but in the location where it is most useful, and not where there are almost no inhabitants, that the government still represents the best location for the start of the metro line.

– We have done everything possible to show that what is being done is not good and that not only the water source, but also the air will be in great danger, with the imminent concentration of vehicles, both public and private. As always, we experienced insults and opposition, and were declared enemies of the people, Veljanovski said.

He adds that on his proposal to include the public in the discussion, postpone the decision and clarify the plan, President Nikola Nikodijević turned off the microphone behind the podium and the proposal was rejected without explanation.

Zoran Vuletić, who stated that citizens have the right to attend the session and read the articles of the Regulation that allow it, Nikodijević briefly replied that he did not have that right.

– This assembly simply does not want to cooperate with the citizens. If it were malicious, I would say they should thank the pandemic and the virus, which gave them a justification to prevent the public from participating in such important decision-making, Vuletić said.

The request for the inclusion of citizens in the discussion in the assembly session, but also the postponement of the decision on Makis’s plan, was formally presented yesterday by the representatives of the association “Battle for Kosutnjak”, organizers of the protest. yesterday of the citizens due to the current decision of the city.

– The request that we presented yesterday was presented for an infringement of the Regulations, as we determined, according to statements by the councilors themselves, that they were informed of the session in less than seven days, and that the material of the session was sent in a shorter period of time. to perform a session. It is not even voted on or discussed, it is only said that there is no basis for holding the session, explains Dejan Jovanović, representative of the association and independent councilor in the municipality of Rakovica, adding that the request was signed by 600 citizens.

– They did not even let us in, and the entrance to the Sava Center room, where the Municipal Assembly sessions are held, was guarded first by private security, then by the Communal Police, then by the police and finally by members of the units fully equipped protesters, explains Jovanović, adding that they had to be allowed to speak at the session, because it is a legal obligation.

Stojmenović: citizens can still prevent the works

– According to other items on the agenda, it can be seen that Makiš’s plan was the most important topic of today’s session, and that the session was called for that. So the city authorities are in a hurry, the plan was adopted according to an extremely fast-paced procedure, and the planner and the deputy mayor have repeatedly announced that works should start next year, Natalija Stojmenović of the Initiative told Danas. Don’t Drown Belgrade.

“The same goes for Belgrade on the water, rapid adoption of the plan, bypassing the public and experts, in a situation where the plan generates great public dissatisfaction,” says Stojmenović.