The 6th „Mirëdita, dobar dan“ festival will begin in Belgrade tomorrow. Although the organizers of the festival are presenting it as an attempt to bring closer and reconcile Kosovan and Serbian people, some of the Serbian right-wing groups are assessing it as anti-Serbian, while also announcing protests.
The „Zavetnici“ party announced this year as well that a protest will be held tomorrow at 6 pm – when the beginning of the festival was announced – in front of the Cultural Center, which the party described as a „Serb-hating stronghold“.
„They are striking at our sanctuary in the middle of Belgrade. If you consider yourself a patriot, a Serb, go out and loudly tell them out what you think about such a shameless event that insults anyone who loves this oppressed and tortured country,“ the call for protest against the two-day activities in Belgrade reads. The planned festival activities include the screening of the play „I am my own wife“ by Kushtrim Koliqi, a debate, and exhibition on „Kosovo – the legacy of memory“, screening of the film „Aga’s house,“ as well as a debate on the negotiation process between Belgrade and Pristina and Kosovo’s membership in UNESCO.
According to announcements, „Zavetnici“ party members will gather at 5:15 pm in front of the Temple of St. Sava and rally towards Bircaninova Street, where the festival is being organized and where they will „forever drive away those who humiliate us in our country.“
Ivan Djuric, the program director of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights, reacted to the accusations of the protest organizers, assessing that „nationalism is flourishing in both Serbia and Kosovo.“
He accused the protest organizers of „spreading lies about the festival“ – which sends a message of peace – and of „defending the shrines from Terazije by throwing smoke bombs at a cultural and artistic event“.
Djuric pointed out during his guest appearance on TV Prva that the ways to protect the monastery of Decani will be discussed at the festival because, according to the announcement of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights, „neither Serbia nor Kosovo is protecting it – NATO is.“
„We call mad those who say that Decani is Albanian. There are indeed lunatics, Zavetnici in Kosovo who say that Decani is Albanian and that is nonsense. We want to talk about it, not sow hatred,“ said Djuric.
He added that this year, in addition to theater, film, and books, the festival will host debates dealing with key issues of transitional justice and the beginning of the work of the Special Court for the KLA, its operating principles, and justice for non-Albanian victims.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
