Kreni-promeni Activists Walk to Obrenovac to Highlight Local Problems

Members of the "Kreni-promeni" movement embarked on a foot journey from Belgrade to Obrenovac, a Belgrade municipality, to directly engage with citizens and draw attention to pressing local problems. This initiative underscores the movement's commitment to grassroots activism and its focus on issues often overlooked by mainstream politics. The choice of Obrenovac is significant, as the movement has received numerous reports from residents there, and it is also the base of the private transport company "Strela," which is linked to the privatization of public transport services.

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Specifically, in rural areas, we have a situation where a large number of schools are closed, some permanently, some due to renovation. At this moment, we have a problem with four schools and a gymnasium. So, children travel to distant places, and the question arises why the government cannot renovate these schools, while at the same time giving more than half a billion euros to a private carrier, while public transport is decaying, or why we are throwing away 17 billion euros, and our children are going on who knows what kind of roads, and now have to travel to other schools, separated.

Savo Manojlović, the leader of "Kreni-promeni," articulated the core concerns driving this action. He pointed to the closure of numerous schools in rural areas, forcing children to travel long distances. This situation is contrasted sharply with the substantial public funds allocated to private carriers, while the public transport system itself is in disarray. Manojlović also highlighted the lack of basic infrastructure, such as sewage systems, in parts of the municipality, deeming it unacceptable for a 21st-century capital region. The movement questions why public funds are not prioritized for renovating schools and improving public services instead of subsidizing private entities.

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Public transport is free for two reasons. One is because it functions poorly, or when citizens say they spend a lot of time, which is all life that is stolen from us to spend with our loved ones, with our wife, child, mother, father, they tell you 'yes, but transport is free.' So it resembles that one-dinar radical bread that never exists. That's the situation too.

The movement criticizes the current approach to public transport, particularly the privatization of services. Manojlović argues that instead of investing in and developing public enterprises, the city is channeling funds to private operators. He specifically names "Strela" from Obrenovac as an example of a company benefiting from this system, suggesting it fosters the creation of "SNS tycoon companies." The movement views the "free" public transport as a deceptive policy, funded entirely by taxpayers, which masks a failing system and diverts resources from essential public needs. This direct action aims to bring these issues to the forefront and demand accountability from authorities.

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In order to carry out the privatization of public transport, where the city, instead of developing a public enterprise, gives money to a private carrier, which is quite illogical at the moment, because you, for example, do not have a payment problem. Transport is not, politicians like to say free, it is 100 percent subsidized. That is, it is given from the budget, from our money, instead of being given to a public enterprise so they can develop their fleet, now a new SNS tycoon company is being created, and that is 'Strela' from Obrenovac.