The tragedy in Novi Sad was the reason for the cities of Vojvodina to give up the celebration of New Year 2025 in the squares, while in Serbia itself they did not want to give up Karleuša and other popular singers. In this regard, Belgrade leads the way with even two celebrations
The country is divided: some will welcome New Year 2025 in the city squares, while others believe that it is not the time to celebrate and that the money intended for concerts of popular singers should be spent on something more necessary.
First group: Belgrade
Belgrade is in the first group, and not only with one reception, but even with two! The city administration thunderously announced, as if it were a great achievement, a spectacular welcome on Trg Republike with Haris Đinović. Željko Vasić and Marina Visković, while the company Belgrade on the water invites Belgraders to celebrate with fireworks on the Sava promenade and Marija Šerifović, Jelena Tomašević and Tijana Bogićević.
In the announcement of Belgrade on Water, it is written that "the last moments of 2024 will be accompanied by a special New Year's projection and the traditional countdown of the last 10 seconds on the Belgrade Tower, and at exactly midnight an impressive light and pyrotechnic performance will begin in the sky above the Sava." Fireworks will be launched from the tallest building in Serbia and the region, the Gazela, the Old Sava bridge and from the Novobeograd river bank. A visual show inspired by the motifs of Belgrade and Serbia will be accompanied by powerful lasers and music with national motifs, specially composed for this occasion".
Welcome on the Square is part of the "Belgrade winter", an important event in the capital - as Nikola Nikodijević, the president of the city assembly, explained to the media, and specified that it will last from December 25 to the end of January on seven stages in the city with a varied program. He did not say how much it all costs, (as it is still not known how much this year's "Family Days" cost), nor if this is the reason why the city's cultural institutions were recently told not to come up with any plans until further notice.
Niš, Požarevac, Kruševac
By posting on his Instagram profile, where he had a video call with the popular singer Nikola Rokvic under the New Year's tree, the mayor of Niš, Dragoslav Pavlović, announced his New Year's concert. An invitation to Rokvic's concert was immediately posted with a note that he is a big donor, Namely, in September he donated an ultrasound device worth more than 10,5 million dinars to the Children's Clinic, for which he was honored by Metropolitan Arsenija of Niš. Before Rokvič, Neverne bebe will play the stage in Niš, and there is no information yet on how much it will cost.
However, the Serbian New Year will not be celebrated in Niš, because the municipality of Medijana, where the reception is traditionally organized, decided so. They decided to end the tradition of organizing the celebration of the Serbian New Year, which has been going on for two decades, because they believe that it is not the time to celebrate.
Požarevac will rely on local bands, close to everyone, and in Kruševac they are organizing a "Festival Square" with programs intended primarily for children.
Kragujevac, Leskovac, Zlatibor
In Kragujevac, they have prepared something for everyone: there will be Jelena Karleuš on Trg kod Krst, and in front of the Gymnasium on Đački trg - the Van Gogh group.
The authorities in Leskovac also decided to celebrate. They announced a concert by the Viva band and Angela, trumpeters, fireworks and more than 2000 free burgers. They are also preparing fireworks in Pirot, and they will celebrate with Nelet Karajlić.
There will also be fireworks on Zlatibor, which will be preceded by a concert by Peđa Jovanović and the trumpet orchestra Dejan Jevđić. Vlada Georgiev will perform at the replay of the reception on January 1. All of this is part of the "Zlatibor Christmas Fairy Tale", which started on December 21 and will last until January 15.
Second group: Vranje
Vranje is possibly the only city in Serbia where there will be no concerts and fireworks. According to the words of city councilor Darko Filipović to the media, the celebration was planned, but the idea was abandoned out of respect for the victims. They will pay the money allocated for the celebration to the account for the treatment of children and young people suffering from malignant and other serious diseases.
Novi Sad, Vojvodina
The whole of Vojvodina is in the second group, in which there are cities where Nova 2025 will not be celebrated.
In mid-November, the mayor of Novi Sad, Milan Đurić, announced that "out of respect for the victims of the tragedy, and in recognition of the pain and suffering of their families, it is important that we give up big celebrations this year and be united in pain, sadness, compassion and solidarity."
There will be no celebration in Zrenjanin either, by the decision of the mayor Sima Salapura, and part of the funds intended for the organization of the New Year's Eve will be directed to the implementation of the initiative of the Potisje Football Club and the Knićanin Municipal Community, for the development of project documentation for the future sports center that will be named after Miloš Milosavljević from Knićanin , tragically killed in an accident in Novi Sad.
The New Year's celebration in the city square, by the decision of the mayor Stevan Bakić, was also canceled in Subotica, and the funds provided for it will be used to finance talented young people from Subotica.
The planned traditional New Year's Eve was also canceled on the Sombor square, and members of the City Council decided to redirect funds to support parents of children suffering from rare diseases.
Vršac has not organized New Year's Eve on the town square for seven years, but those funds are directed to other holiday activities, primarily for the youngest: they will distribute close to 5.000 New Year's packets, they will have free pictures with Santa Claus and, of course, the distribution of New Year's calendars.
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