Kragujevac has finally made a decision that makes many wonder – has the danger really passed or is this just another political show? Mayor Nikola Dašić, following the proposal of the Emergency Situations Headquarters, lifted the state of emergency that had been in effect since July 8 due to massive fires and extremely high temperatures that affected the wider area of the city. Is this the end of the nightmare or just a pause before the next blow?
The fires that broke out about ten days ago were no small matter. All available services were engaged in extinguishing the flames, and officials visited the affected areas, promising quick recovery and aid. Public calls for damage claims on family homes and agricultural properties are trying to mitigate the disaster, but is it enough?
Although the mayor decided to lift the state of emergency, the situation on the ground still requires attention. Commissions are still active on site, assessing damage and enabling citizens to exercise their rights to assistance. City administrations promise further institutional support in the recovery process, but the question remains how long this will last and whether it will be fast enough.
At the same time, accidents and breakdowns in Belgrade and other parts of Serbia further complicate an already difficult situation. For example, a major failure at a transformer station in the municipality of Guči left a large number of households without electricity. Also, reconstruction works on the sewage system in Belgrade are changing traffic routes and adding to citizens’ burdens.
All this makes us wonder – is the lifting of the state of emergency in Kragujevac really a sign that the danger has passed, or is it just an attempt to present things in a better light? Are citizens truly safe and protected, or are their fears being toyed with?
If you have an opinion on this, or maybe you are from Kragujevac and have your own experience, drop a comment below. Let the voice of the people be heard, because this is not the end of the story, but just the beginning of a new phase of fighting the consequences left by the fires.
