Environment Energy Mining Watch SEE|News|The Balkan is fighting for clean air: Joint protests in cities of the region against pollution

The Balkan is fighting for clean air: Joint protests in cities of the region against pollution

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In nine cities in the region, concurrent public events, gatherings and solidarity actions of Sarajevo, Belgrade, Pristina, Banja Luka, Skopje, Prizren, Zenica, Podujevo and Podgorica were held.
A common message was sent to the local and world public – united in the need for a better quality of life.
Because of the corona virus, symbolic anti-pollution actions have been held instead of major protests in some cities, such as Skopje and Sarajevo.
“Clean air is a basic human right and we demand immediate action by all individuals and institutions to prevent the long-term health effects of Balkan citizens,” organizers said.
The gathering in Belgrade began in front of the Belgrade City Assembly, and was attended by, except for a small number of citizens and representatives of the Civic Front from Apatin, Kula, Valjevo, Kraljevo, Nis, Vlasotinac and Pozega.
Radomir Lazovic from the Initiative Do’n Let Belgrade Drown, told the crowd that pollution is currently one of the most important issues because the lives of citizens are endangered.
“Our country has been abducted from those who drive Audi and Mercedes. They are dealing with how to hijack public funds as much as possible, sharing as one corrupt elite. They use our funds for their easy life and use them for their children to study abroad, and here they tell us that we are living in a golden age, “Lazovic said in front of the Belgrade City Hall, where a ceremony was held on the occasion of Republika Srpska Day.
In the building, among other guests, a Serbian member of the BiH Presidency, Milorad Dodik, and Serbian Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin were there, there was a strong security facility that filmed participants  of protest.
Cities in Serbia are increasingly at the top of the list of the most polluted in the world, and the consequences for citizens are enormous.
Nearly 7,000 people die prematurely a year as a result of air pollution in Serbia, with an estimated one million citizens having respiratory problems.
The Initiative Don’t Let Belgrade Drown, the Civic Front, but also over 15,000 citizens who have signed a petition for clean air, demand that urgent measures be taken to address these issues.
At protests and actions previously held in over 20 cities across Serbia, citizens made it clear that they did not want empty promises and escape from responsibility, but concrete solutions.
The Civic Front also filed two criminal charges against the Serbian Minister of the Environment, Goran Trivan, for the criminal offenses of Failure to Take Environmental Measures and Violation of the Right to Information on the State of the Environment under the Criminal Code.

Source: danas.rs

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