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๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ Czech Republic /Crime & Justice

Belgrade Passage Vandalized Again; Critics Blame Organized Groups and Institutional Failure

From iDNES · () Czech

Translated from Czech and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • An underground passage at Zelen venac in Belgrade, a busy thoroughfare, was vandalized with offensive graffiti just days after citizens cleaned and repainted it.
  • Tanja Nikoliฤ‡ of Zbor Stari grad argues this is not random vandalism but organized action by individuals with significant resources.
  • Nikoliฤ‡ criticizes city institutions, including security services and the communal police, for failing to prevent or address such acts, and points to ongoing, opaque renovation work as another issue.

Belgrade's Zelen venac underground passage, a vital hub for city life, has once again become a canvas for offensive graffiti, mere days after a community effort saw it cleaned and repainted. This rapid defacement, featuring slogans like 'Aco Srbine' and 'Ustaลกe,' has drawn sharp criticism from Tanja Nikoliฤ‡ of Zbor Stari grad. She dismisses the notion of spontaneous 'guerrilla' action, instead asserting that these acts are orchestrated by well-funded groups aiming to sow discord and disrespect public spaces.

This vandalism of the underground passage shows the extent to which institutions are captured and only serve to 'drain money from citizens.'

· Tanja Nikoliฤ‡Describing the failure of city institutions to prevent graffiti and maintain public spaces.

Nikoliฤ‡'s critique extends to the city's institutional failures. She points to the inadequacy of Belgrade's security services and the communal police, who, despite their mandates, have failed to prevent or respond effectively to such vandalism. The Eko-patrol, tasked with maintaining cleanliness, also faces scrutiny for its perceived ineffectiveness, particularly concerning visible issues like dog waste. This points to a broader problem of institutional neglect and a lack of accountability in managing public spaces.

We have the communal police who have not prevented the painting of a single graffiti. When we call them to the field, they do not respond.

· Tanja Nikoliฤ‡Criticizing the inaction of the communal police in addressing vandalism.

Adding to the public's frustration are the ongoing, seemingly nonsensical renovation works in parts of the passage. Nikoliฤ‡ questions the transparency and purpose of these construction activities, especially when they are being carried out by city greening workers and when a complete reconstruction of Zelen venac has been previously announced. This situation, as reported by N1 Serbia, leaves citizens questioning the efficiency and priorities of Belgrade's municipal management, highlighting a disconnect between official plans and the reality on the ground.

These are not guerrilla actions, but organized actions by someone who has a lot of resources.

· Tanja Nikoliฤ‡Asserting that the graffiti incidents are orchestrated rather than spontaneous.
About this summary

Originally published by iDNES in Czech. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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