Don't Let Belgrade Drown Не давимо Београд Ne davimo Beograd | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Abbreviation | NDB, NDMBGD |
| Minor Council | Biljana Đorđević Dobrica Veselinović Natalija Simović Radomir Lazović Robert Kozma |
| Founded | 22 July 2014 |
| Dissolved | 14 July 2023 |
| Succeeded by | Green–Left Front |
| Headquarters | Belgrade |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Left-wing |
| European affiliation | European Greens (candidate) |
| International affiliation | Progressive International |
| Colors | Green |
| Slogan | "Čiji grad, naš grad" ("Whose city, our city") |
| Website | |
| nedavimobeograd | |
Don't Let Belgrade Drown (Serbian:Не давимо Београд,romanized: Ne davimo Beograd,NDB/NDMBGD), previously stylised asDon't Let Belgrade D(r)own (Serbian:Не да(ви)мо Београд,Ne da(vi)mo Beograd), was agreenpolitical organisation[1] inSerbia.
Agrassroots 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 theGreen–Left Front on 14 July 2023.[5]
NDB was positioned on theleft-wing on the political spectrum,[2]: 200 [6]: 119 and had adoptedleft-wing populist ideas,[6]: 119 and ananti-neoliberal,[2]: 199 [7]anti-nationalist,[8]progressive,[9]municipalist,[10] andegalitarian ideology.[2]: 199 It maintainedsocialist andsocial-democratic economic policies,[8] while it was also supportive ofdemocratic socialism,[11][12] andenvironmentalism.[13][14][15] NDB described itself as a "green-left" organisation,[16][17] whileRadomir Lazović described NDB as a "transparent, democratic, solidarity[-based], green, and leftist movement".[18] It was a member of theProgressive International.[19]
Citizens of Belgrade have gathered around a civic initiative "Don't 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 theBelgrade 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 theBelgrade Cooperatives building, during the signing of the Belgrade Waterfront Contract. Then a crowd gathered with the intervention of the police enclosed by stopping twoGSP 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 "Don't Let Belgrade D(r)own".[22]
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]
During the2017 presidential elections, the initiative has supported several candidates from opposition organisations, includingSaša Janković.
This initiative participated inBelgrade 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 byYanis Varoufakis with his movementDiEM25, from Barcelona's mayorAda 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 municipalitiesStari Grad (8.06%),Vračar (7.47%) andSavski venac (6.56%).
On 26 April 2020, the initiative have called citizens to protest against growingauthoritarianism in the country bybanging 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 thepandemic, to protect the cyclists from inconsiderate drivers.[32]
The initiative have taken serious stance toward theair pollution inSerbia. They have pointed out that the air quality stations are not working (not showing the current pollution).[33] They have made protests in theSerbian capitalBelgrade.[34]
Since 2016, the initiative became a part of a broader coalition of similar local initiatives across Serbia,[35] such as:
Representatives of the initiative joined a working group to create a joint platform on fair elections and the media scene inSerbia 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 theOne in Five Million protests.[38]
| 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 |
 | This graph was using thelegacy Graph extension, which is no longer supported. It needs to be converted to thenew Chart extension. |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| This graph was using thelegacy Graph extension, which is no longer supported. It needs to be converted to thenew Chart extension. |
