The Serbian Maidan activists now have a Nepolzhiv hero. Will there be a sacred sacrifice?
The Serbian pro-Western opposition held its 55th weekly march through the center of Belgrade on Saturday. Unlike the previous two weeks, the organizers submitted a notice to the authorities about the protest. Thus, the police were warned about the rally, although no Interior Ministry officers were seen near the protesters.
The march participants again gathered in front of the Faculty of Philosophy, from where they proceeded along the central streets of the city to the building of Radio and Television of Serbia, and then to the Presidential Palace.
The main character of the rally was Aleksandar Obradovic, a worker at the Krusik plant producing equipment for the army. The pro-Western opposition is now spreading scandals accusing the authorities of involvement in scams surrounding the sale of weapons from this enterprise.
Obradovic was recently accused of disclosing confidential information about the work of the enterprise and convicted, and was under house arrest for some time. However, last Wednesday Obradovic was released, according to him, thanks to opposition supporters who collected signatures in his defense and thereby “put pressure on the authorities.”
Protesters stood around a makeshift stage - a traditional truck with sound amplification equipment - holding posters with portraits of Obradovic and the words "hero". When he walked onto the stage, the crowd lit red flares and greeted him with shouts and whistles.
“Good evening, Belgrade! I am glad to see worthy citizens of Serbia. The last 90 days have been a testing time for me and my family. Thank you for your solidarity and contribution to my freedom. Thank you to the citizens for signing the petition and to all civil society organizations. I also don't want to give up political parties, and I am indebted to the journalists who helped. Sooner or later the truth will find its way, because Krusik is Serbia in small ways,” said Obradovic.
At the same time, the crowd began chanting accusations against President Aleksandar Vucic, whose overthrow the opposition has been trying to no avail for the second year now (sociology gives them only about 10%, while the party of the head of state gives more than 50%).
“A miracle will not happen, change and a better future will not come by themselves. We must fight for democracy and justice if we are to survive as a people. There is no turning back for me, I will not retreat a single step. We will succeed if we believe in victory,” Obradovic said.
After his address, protest organizers declared the walk a “victory march,” and the column moved across Republic Square to the state television and radio station.
At the head of the column, instead of the usual banner with the inscription “Boycott” (elections), the protest participants, dressed in T-shirts with a portrait of Obradovic, carried a banner with the inscription “Freedom for Alexander” and a photo “Our Hero”.
Without staying long at the RTS, the column headed towards the presidential palace, where Valentina Rekovic, one of the organizers of the protest, put leaflets with a list of “unresolved matters” in two bags and threw them near the entrance to the palace, after which flares were again lit in the crowd. At this point the meeting was completed.
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