Do_not_let_Belgrade_drown

Do not let Belgrade drown

Do not let Belgrade drown

Political party in Serbia


Do not let Belgrade drown (Serbian Cyrillic: Не давимо Београд, romanized: Ne davimo Beograd, NDB/NDMBGD), previously stylised as Do not let Belgrade d(r)own (Serbian: Не да(ви)мо Београд, Ne da(vi)mo Beograd), was a green political organisation[1] in Serbia.

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A grassroots movement formed in 2014,[2]:128[3] aimed at criticising and reforming the current political system through "involving citizens in the development of their environment" and transparency. The organisation was made up of a group of people of different profiles, professions, and beliefs interested in urban and cultural policies, sustainable urban development, and equitable use of shared resources. In October 2022, NDB announced that together with local citizens' groups it would transform itself into a political party.[4] It was succeeded by the Green–Left Front on 14 July 2023.[5]

NDB was positioned on the left-wing on the political spectrum,[2]:200[6]:119 and had adopted left-wing populist ideas,[6]:119 and an anti-neoliberal,[2]:199[7] anti-nationalist,[8] progressive,[9] municipalist,[10] and egalitarian ideology.[2]:199 It maintained socialist and social-democratic economic policies,[8] while it was also supportive of democratic socialism,[11][12] and environmentalism.[13][14][15] NDB described itself as a "green-left" organisation,[16][17] while Radomir Lazović described NDB as a "transparent, democratic, solidarity[-based], green, and leftist movement".[18] It was a member of the Progressive International.[19]

History

Early actions

Citizens of Belgrade have gathered around a civic initiative "Do not let Belgrade d(r)own", whose trademark has become a big yellow duck. The initiative have organised a number of actions and protests to criticise the Belgrade waterfront urban project which, according to them, is an extremely harmful project.[20] The public attention was drawn during the protest of 26 April and in 2015 in front of the Belgrade Cooperatives building, during the signing of the Belgrade Waterfront Contract. Then a crowd gathered with the intervention of the police enclosed by stopping two GSP trams in the middle of a roundabout in front of the Cooperative building.[21]

The police have halted the performance of NDM BGD during the Belgrade Ship Carnival on 29 August 2015, when the duly registered vessel of the organisation was excluded from the procession only because of the prominent inscription "Do not let Belgrade D(r)own".[22]

Activities after the demolition in Savamala

As a result of the demolition of the facilities in Hercegovacka Street, which was carried out, according to a witness, by individuals with phantom masks, at night between 24 and 25 April 2016, this citizens' movement have organised 8 massive street protests from 11 May 2016 to 15 February 2017.[23][24]

Participation in elections

During the 2017 presidential elections, the initiative has supported several candidates from opposition organisations, including Saša Janković.

This initiative participated in Belgrade assembly elections in 2018 under the list called "Initiative do not let Belgrade drown - Yellow duck - Whose city, our city - Ksenija Radovanović", introducing political platform regarding 20 agendas.[25][26] The initiative's electoral efforts were supported by various local movements in municipalities across Serbia, the initiative's participation was also supported by Yanis Varoufakis with his movement DiEM25, from Barcelona's mayor Ada Colau, as well as a Croatian movement "Zagreb is OURS!".[27][28]

The initiative got 3.44% of votes, which was not enough to gain threshold for entering the city's assembly (they needed 5% or higher).[29] Best results were acquired in municipalities Stari Grad (8.06%), Vračar (7.47%) and Savski venac (6.56%).

Activities during the Coronavirus pandemic

On 26 April 2020, the initiative have called citizens to protest against growing authoritarianism in the country by banging pots every day at 20:05.[30][31] On 28 April, the initiative have suggested the authorities to take better control on the traffic during the pandemic, to protect the cyclists from inconsiderate drivers.[32]

Activities regarding the air pollution and environment

The initiative have taken serious stance toward the air pollution in Serbia. They have pointed out that the air quality stations are not working (not showing the current pollution).[33] They have made protests in the Serbian capital Belgrade.[34]

Other activities

Since 2016, the initiative became a part of a broader coalition of similar local initiatives across Serbia,[35] such as:

  • Civic front of Serbia, nationalwide coalition[36]
  • Local front, an initiative from Kraljevo
  • Association of presidents of tenant assemblies, an initiative from Niš
  • Bureau of Social Research, an initiative from Belgrade
  • Support RTV (Radio television of Vojvodina), an initiative from Novi Sad
  • League of Romani people
  • Multi-ethnic center for the region's development Danube 21, an initiative from Bor

Representatives of the initiative joined a working group to create a joint platform on fair elections and the media scene in Serbia at a meeting of the entire opposition on 12 October 2018.[37] The movement later signed the agreement, which stemmed from these arrangements, and also took part in the One in Five Million protests.[38]

Electoral performance

Parliamentary elections

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Presidential elections

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Belgrade City Assembly elections

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See also


References

  1. "Deklaracija o prerastanju pokreta Ne davimo Beograd u partiju". nedavimobeograd (in Serbian). 21 June 2022. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  2. Feminise Politics Now: Toolkit developed by the Municipalist Movement. Madrid: Rosa Luxemburg Foundation. 2020. p. 134.
  3. "Ne davimo Beograd postaje partija, koje ime je "u igri" i koji su im ciljevi". N1 (in Serbian). 20 October 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  4. "Pokret Ne davimo Beograd danas je zvanično postao stranka Zeleno-levi front". Novinska agencija Beta (in Serbian). 14 July 2023. Archived from the original on 14 July 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  5. Stojiljković, Zoran; Spasojević, Dušan (2018). "Populistički Zeitgeist u "proevropskoj" Srbiji". Politička misao: Časopis za politologiju (in Serbian). 55 (3): 104–128. doi:10.20901/pm.55.3.04. S2CID 166171942 via Hrčak.
  6. Pešić, Jelena; Petrović, Jelisaveta (2020). "The Role and the Positioning of the Left in Serbia's "One of Five Million" Protests". Balkanologie. 15 (2): 4. doi:10.4000/balkanologie.2576. S2CID 234573757 via OpenEdition Journals.
  7. Beckmann-Dierkes, Norbert; Rankić, Slađan (13 May 2022). "Parlamentswahlen in Serbien 2022". Konrad Adenauer Foundation (in German). p. 3. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  8. Kovačević, Miloš (3 June 2021). "An Uncertain Step Toward Marriage Equality". Heinrich Böll Foundation. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  9. Jovanović, Jelka (30 September 2022). "Đorđe Pavićević: Nije pokret za spas Srbije nego – Vučića". Novi magazin (in Serbian). Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  10. "Inicijativa Ne davimo Beograd". Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung (in Serbian). 22 February 2021. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  11. "Zelene stranke plivaju van krupnih nacionalnih tema". Politika (in Serbian). 5 November 2021. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  12. "Lazović: Potrebno je imati kandidata koji zastupa "zelene i leve ideje"". N1 (in Serbian). 23 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  13. Khalili, Mehran (11 January 2021). "Creative protest and how to build a movement: An interview with Radomir Lazovic - Mehran Khalili". DiEM25. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  14. "Ugovor o Beogradu na vodi otkriva veliku prevaru". Radio Slobodna Evropa. 21 September 2015. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  15. "Protest zbog ugovora za BG na vodi". B92.net. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  16. "Ni policija ne zna ko je rušio u Savamali". N1 Srbija. Archived from the original on 8 June 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  17. "Šetnja kroz grad i protest zbog rušenja u Savamali". N1 Srbija. Archived from the original on 10 June 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  18. Online, Piše: Danas (31 January 2018). "Inicijativa Ne davimo Beograd podnela listu za gradske izbore". Dnevni list Danas (in Serbian). Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  19. "ПРОГРАМ". Иницијатива Не давимо Београд. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  20. Fonet, Piše (16 February 2018). "Varufakis podržao Inicijativu Ne davimo Beograd". Dnevni list Danas (in Serbian). Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  21. "Pobeda SNS-a u Beogradu, još tri liste prešle cenzus". Radio Slobodna Evropa (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  22. "Svaki dan digni glas: Bukom protiv diktature". Иницијатива Не давимо Београд. 26 April 2020. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  23. Insajder (28 April 2020). "Treći dan akcije Bukom protiv diktature uz pištaljke i lupanje u šerpe". Insajder (in Serbian). Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  24. Beta, Piše (28 April 2020). "Ulice za bicikliste i Ne davimo Beograd predlažu mere za regulaciju saobraćaja". Dnevni list Danas (in Serbian). Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  25. Beta, Piše (1 February 2020). "Inicijativa Ne davimo Beograd: Van funkcije stanice koje mere zagađenje vazduha". Dnevni list Danas (in Serbian). Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  26. "Protest za čist vazduh!". Иницијатива Не давимо Београд. 15 January 2020. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  27. Torović, Marko Tašković-Vesna. "SRBIJA DOBIJA NOVU OPOZICIJU Šta je Građanski front i kako planiraju da smene vlast". Blic.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  28. "Građanski front - odgovor na nacionalističko nadigravanje vlasti i opozicije". rs.n1info.com (in Serbian). N1. Archived from the original on 22 April 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  29. "Opozicija spremna da sarađuje za fer izbore i slobodu medija". N1 Srbija (in Serbian (Latin script)). Archived from the original on 17 June 2020. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  30. "Opozicioni savezi i stranke potpisali dokument o uslovima za fer izbore". N1 Srbija (in Serbian (Latin script)). Archived from the original on 16 December 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2020.

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