Save green surfaces in Belgrade, Serbia

Once again, in Belgrade, a whole park was cut down about 30 trees. It has a basketball court and it is also a playground for kids,placed between several buildings. We have found out that a certain building company has bought the land and it will soon be a building site. Flat owners and tenants from the surrounding buildings are trying to protect the plot but it is difficult. So far the media have not been helpful, as well as the city authorities.

We do not have laws that can protect the rights of the citizens and that can let them have their say in the matters of what is or is not going to be cut down or built in their immediate environment. Not to mention the laws that would protect already insufficient green surfaces in Belgrade. This is not the only case; the race for plots in already crowded city area is a common thing. The problem is that the investors can easily get legal paperwork for the land and building due to the gaps in local legislature. One of the most profitable businesses in our city and even country is developing new buildings. The investors are using all legal methods to obtain property and building permits. The law does not allow citizens to be informed about the changes in the regulation plan in advance. Usually the building starts rather cunningly- early in the morning or during the holiday season when people are not there, not able or prepared to react properly.

We, the undersigned, call for immediate termination of construction works in the park (green surface) at Stanislava Sremcevica Street, Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro. Henceforth we call for the legal protection of this and all other green surfaces in the city (locations for relaxation and sport activities). We understand that our request will be delivered to the city of Belgrade authorities, Serbian Environmental institutions and media.

* Serbian translation of demands *

Mi dole potpisani zahtevamo da se sto hitnije prekine izgradnja stambeno-poslovnih gradjenivna na lokaciji parka (zelene povrsine) u Ulici Stanislava Sremcevica, Beograd, Srbija i Crna Gora i da se prostoru vrati njegova prvobitna funkcija. Dalje zahtevamo da se u gradu Beogradu obustavi menjanje svrha zelenih povrsina i parkova u prostore za izgradnju, a da se postojecim parkovima i zelenim povrsinama dodeli namena zemljista za odmor i rekreaciju. Razumemo da ce ovaj zahtev biti prosledjen nadleznim organima grada Beograda, institucijama zastite covekove okoline i medijima.