Leskovac festival to pay singers $84,000, while locals fundraise for projects

The city of Leskovac is allocating approximately 84,300 euros for the musical performances at this year's Roštiljijada festival, featuring six popular singers. The Tourist Organization of the City of Leskovac officially decided on the contracts for the performers, with the entertainment program budgeted at 9,864,400 dinars (around 84,311 euros) from the city budget. The total estimated value was slightly higher, at 10 million dinars (about 85,470 euros).

Milica Pavlović is reportedly the highest-paid artist, with a fee of 2,466,200 dinars (approximately 21,079 euros) for her performance. Other artists include Mirza Selimović, Ivana Selakov, Aleksandra Mladenović, Radojka Adžić (Dara Bubamara), and Stoja Jovanović, with their fees ranging from about 11,094 euros to 13,868 euros. Two agencies, "AMBIENT Events" from Kraljevo and "NO LIMIT ART BG" from Belgrade, represent all the chosen performers.

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For the performance of singer Milica Pavlović, 2,466,200 dinars (about 21,079 euros) were allocated.

This significant expenditure has drawn criticism, particularly from the agency JUGpress, which highlighted the contrast between the funds spent on the festival's entertainment and the financial struggles of local residents. Residents in areas like Čukljenik, Žabljani, and Brestovac reportedly have to fundraise themselves for essential community projects such as building sports fields, improving neighborhoods, or maintaining roads, as they lack basic infrastructure like paved streets.

The report points out that the fee for Milica Pavlović's 90-minute performance alone is equivalent to 27 average monthly salaries in Leskovac (based on May figures of 91,099 dinars). For those earning the minimum wage (around 64,554 dinars), it would take 38 months to earn the same amount. This disparity underscores concerns about local government priorities and resource allocation, with critics suggesting a neglect of citizens' needs in favor of large-scale entertainment events.

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While nearly ten million dinars are generously spent from the city budget for the performances of six singers... residents of Čukljenik, Žabljani, Brestovac... must collect money themselves...