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Do not let Belgrade drown

Do not let Belgrade drown (Serbian: 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.

Do not let Belgrade drown
Не давимо Београд
Ne davimo Beograd
AbbreviationNDB, NDMBGD
Minor CouncilBiljana Đorđević
Dobrica Veselinović
Natalija Simović
Radomir Lazović
Robert Kozma
Founded22 July 2014
Dissolved14 July 2023
Succeeded byGreen–Left Front
HeadquartersBelgrade
Ideology
Political positionLeft-wing
European affiliationEuropean Greens (candidate)
International affiliationProgressive International
Colors  Green
Slogan"Čiji grad, naš grad"
("Whose city, our city")
Website
nedavimobeograd.rs

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

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Early actions

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Parliamentary elections

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National Assembly of Serbia
Year Popular vote % of popular vote # # of seats Seat change Coalition Status
2016 Election boycott
0 / 250
   0 – Extra-parliamentary
2020 Election boycott
0 / 250
   0 – Extra-parliamentary
2022 178,733 4.84%   5th
5 / 250
   5 We Must Opposition

Presidential elections

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President of Serbia
Year Candidate 1st round popular vote % of popular vote 2nd round popular vote % of popular vote Notes
2017 Saša Janković 2nd 597,728 16.63% — — — Supported Janković
2022 Biljana Stojković 6th 122,378 3.30% — — — Supported Stojković

Belgrade City Assembly elections

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City Assembly of Belgrade
Year Popular vote % of popular vote # # of seats Seat change Coalition Status
2018 28,017 3.14%   6th
0 / 110
   0 – Extra-parliamentary
2022 99,078 11.04%   3rd
10 / 110
   10 We Must Opposition

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Deklaracija o prerastanju pokreta Ne davimo Beograd u partiju". nedavimobeograd (in Serbian). 21 June 2022. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d Džuverović, Nemanja; Milošević, Aleksandar (2021). ""Belgrade to Belgradians, Not Foreign Capitalists": International Statebuilding, Contentious Politics, and New Forms of Political Representation in Serbia". East European Politics and Societies: And Cultures. 35 (1): 190–209. doi:10.1177/0888325420904441. ISSN 0888-3254. S2CID 219063568.
  3. ^ Feminise Politics Now: Toolkit developed by the Municipalist Movement. Madrid: Rosa Luxemburg Foundation. 2020. p. 134.
  4. ^ "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.
  5. ^ "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.
  6. ^ a b 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.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ a b Beckmann-Dierkes, Norbert; Rankić, Slađan (13 May 2022). "Parlamentswahlen in Serbien 2022". Konrad Adenauer Foundation (in German). p. 3. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  9. ^ Kovačević, Miloš (3 June 2021). "An Uncertain Step Toward Marriage Equality". Heinrich Böll Foundation. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  10. ^ Rossi, Ugo (2022). "The Existential Threat of Urban Social Extractivism: Urban Revival and the Extinction Crisis in the European South". Antipode. 54 (3): 892–913. doi:10.1111/anti.12802. ISSN 0066-4812.
  11. ^ Jovanović, Jelka (30 September 2022). "Đorđe Pavićević: Nije pokret za spas Srbije nego – Vučića". Novi magazin (in Serbian). Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  12. ^ "Ksenija Radovanović i Dobrica Veselinović: Ne padamo na Vučićeve trikove". Portal Novosti. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  13. ^ Kirn, Gal (20 April 2022). "Thirty Years after the Break-up of Yugoslavia: The Primitive (Dis)accumulation of Capital and Memory; or, How (Not) To Make This Country Great Again". Historical Materialism. 30 (1): 3–29. doi:10.1163/1569206X-20222261. ISSN 1465-4466. S2CID 248333799.
  14. ^ "Inicijativa Ne davimo Beograd". Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung (in Serbian). 22 February 2021. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  15. ^ "Zelene stranke plivaju van krupnih nacionalnih tema". Politika (in Serbian). 5 November 2021. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  16. ^ "Don't Let Belgrade D(r)own and Solidarity presented an agreement on cooperation". Mašina. 6 October 2021. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  17. ^ "Lazović: Potrebno je imati kandidata koji zastupa "zelene i leve ideje"". N1 (in Serbian). 23 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  18. ^ 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.
  19. ^ "Inicijativa "Ne davimo Beograd" se pridružila Progresivnoj internacionali - Politika - Dnevni list Danas". Danas (in Serbian). 28 May 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  20. ^ Mihajlović, Branka (21 September 2015). "Ugovor o Beogradu na vodi otkriva veliku prevaru". Radio Slobodna Evropa. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  21. ^ "Protest zbog ugovora za BG na vodi". B92.net. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  22. ^ Брод са натписом „Не да(ви)мо Београд” удаљен са карневала Archived 27 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Н1, 29 August 2015.
  23. ^ "Ni policija ne zna ko je rušio u Savamali". N1 Srbija. Archived from the original on 8 June 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  24. ^ "Šetnja kroz grad i protest zbog rušenja u Savamali". N1 Srbija. Archived from the original on 10 June 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  25. ^ Online, Piše: Danas (31 January 2018). "Inicijativa Ne davimo Beograd podnela listu za gradske izbore". Dnevni list Danas (in Serbian). Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  26. ^ "ПРОГРАМ". Иницијатива Не давимо Београд. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  27. ^ Fonet, Piše (16 February 2018). "Varufakis podržao Inicijativu Ne davimo Beograd". Dnevni list Danas (in Serbian). Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  28. ^ "Održana konferencija podrške Ne davimo Beograd: Građanski front u Beogradu!". espreso.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  29. ^ "Pobeda SNS-a u Beogradu, još tri liste prešle cenzus". Radio Slobodna Evropa (in Serbo-Croatian). 5 March 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  30. ^ "Svaki dan digni glas: Bukom protiv diktature". Иницијатива Не давимо Београд. 26 April 2020. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  31. ^ Insajder (28 April 2020). "Treći dan akcije Bukom protiv diktature uz pištaljke i lupanje u šerpe". Insajder (in Serbian). Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  32. ^ 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.
  33. ^ 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.
  34. ^ "Protest za čist vazduh!". Иницијатива Не давимо Београд. 15 January 2020. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  35. ^ Torović, Marko Tašković-Vesna (12 October 2016). "SRBIJA DOBIJA NOVU OPOZICIJU Šta je Građanski front i kako planiraju da smene vlast". Blic.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  36. ^ "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.
  37. ^ "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.
  38. ^ "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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