Student Dunja Stanojković delivered a speech today at a protest outside the General Staff building in downtown Belgrade, asserting that students will not permit “the last bastion and symbol of the suffering during the NATO bombing of the FRY in 1999” to be removed.

In opposition to the revocation of the General Staff complex’s status as a cultural asset and its impending sale to an American investor, Stanojković emphasized that “students refuse to stay silent and blind to injustice,” aiming to mobilize as many voices as possible.

“If the international community remained silent back then (1999), we will not relent in our fight today. What they failed to destroy was the spirit of our people and the unity that illuminated our darkest moments,” she affirmed.

Conservator Estela Radonjić Živkov reminded attendees that on November 14, 2024, the Government of Serbia violated the Cultural Heritage Law by declaring the General Staff complex no longer a cultural asset, thus transferring it to foreign investors.

She highlighted that despite being damaged by bombs, the General Staff building retains its monumental qualities and remains a masterpiece of domestic architecture, having served as “the welcoming gate of Belgrade” for nearly 70 years.

At the gathering in front of the General Staff buildings, where various governmental ministries were present, Radonjić Živkov remarked: “Every building around us bears witness to our country’s long history.”

“Imagine if, in a year’s time, there are towers, casinos, and hotels on this site. Would that irrevocably erase our memory, identity, pride, and country? Today, we stand at a historic crossroads: Will we allow our memory, history, and identity to vanish permanently?” she asked.

Several thousand citizens, mainly students, have gathered in front of the General Staff building since noon, where they are signing a popular initiative aimed at assessing the constitutionality of the Serbian Government’s decision to strip the complex of its cultural property status, which was partially damaged in the NATO bombing in 1999.

A group of students previously submitted a request to the Constitutional Court to review the constitutionality of the decision regarding the General Staff complex.

The crowd has been blowing whistles and trumpets while carrying the flags of Serbia and their respective faculties, along with banners stating: “The Rotten Government is Falling on Its Own”, “If the Engineers Had Listened, the Buildings Would Not Have Fallen”, “I’m Not a Student, But I Can Walk”, “We’re Seeking a Sound Cannon for the Regime Flood”, “Students Today, the Future Tomorrow”, “Art Penetrates Morality”.

The protest is being secured by numerous student guards, and traffic has been halted in the area.

At the intersection of Nemanjina and Kneza Miloša Streets, an improvised stage has been set up for speeches.

It has been announced that at 19:55:1999, participants will observe a moment of silence to honor those who lost their lives during the NATO attack on the FRY. At 21:00, they will march to the Republic Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments in Vračar, with the protest scheduled to conclude at 20:00.

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