Expeditio

Article published in the daily newspaper "Vijesti", 25/11/2013. During the first week of the project "Montenegro on Tweeter - Get involved in changes", host on the popular social network was Biljana Gligoric, architect and one of the founders of the NGO Expeditio. Gligoric pointed out that public areas are often converted into private spaces and sources of income.

Each local government should publish on the website the list of public spaces and leases how, for how much, when and to whom are seconded, that is the conclusion of the public spaces subject that has caught the attention of tweeter community bygone days.

"We have had countless examples of the sale of land owned by the state, so that it is sold before urbanization at low prices so when it gets urbanized brings huge profit to a new customer", says Gligoric.

She criticizes the state which does not find the way of forcing investors of residential areas to complete spaces between the buildings and make a quality space for citizens.

"Of course, the investor has no interest in regulating the space between the buildings, because it does not sell, but precisely because of that he state serves to defend our interests. "

Gligoric “ruled” the official project account @ cgtvituje from November 15th to 22nd and in those seven days, she and users who followed the theme on the # open space, aked number of questions.

First and foremost, what are public spaces and how citizens perceive them as their own. These are squares, markets, city centers, parks, playgrounds, but also facilities of local communities, abandoned military buildings, a former bomb shelters ...

"Our experience is that a lot of space stands empty, while on the other side informal groups and NGOs have a need for space for their work and that should somehow be arranged", said Gligoric.

"Now, while it is the crisis, it seems that more than ever people are in need for places where thay can spend their time, learn something, be educated or simply socialize. Nuisance to that is that local governments simply do not understand."

Gligoric reminded that the public space is usually a place of social changes.

"Maybe that's why the new Government building is in a place where there is no space to organize demonstrations ."

Tweeter project is initiated by the Centre for Democratic Transition (CDT) and the program office of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Montenegro. Via @ cgtvituje account, in the next six months, tweeters and the general public will have the opportunity to meet Montenegro in the way it is seen by the experts affirmed. Every seven days will tweet another participant in the project, which will declare his/her views. The account, which has more than 800 followers, Biljana Gligoric on Friday evening surrendered to Vladimir Vulic, associate at the Faculty of Economics in Podgorica.

Squatters, punks, alternatives where you are ?

"The worst for one area is that stands empty and collapses", says Biljana Gligoric. A open public spaces, parks, unregulated potential picnic areas, areas near the river, squares ... are , as she say , easily conquisted.

"The bolder could move in (squatt) in some abandoned buildings, which is largely a practice in the world. The worst for one area is that stands empty and collapses. Nobody talks about the seizure and usurpation of public spaces, but about their putting into operation either temporarily or permanently",she adds.

When the squatters in Novi Sad last year wanted to "occupy" the barrack "Archibald Reiss", Aleksandar Jovanovic, former President of the City Assembly, said that the barracks are part of the "cultural heritage" of the city and that the care about it should be left to the civil sector.

"Buildings deteriorate rapidly if there is no one to be held by. It 's better to have a bad boss than no boss at all", he said on the occassion.

Stomp the grass, lie down and read !

Eager to green areas which are fewer in cities, users, during the seven-day discussion of public spaces, talked about urban gardening, movement for planting vegetables in cities. As a great example is mentioned the Chicago Green Roof Program on greening roofs on buildings.

"Strange sign “Do not trample grass” should be changed and encourage people to sit on the grass, read, spend work breaks in the park , instead of in cafes", suggested Gligoric.

Tweeting led to the proposal that Cemovsko field in Podgorica, as open space, get greater degree of protection, and that this space may be declare as the park . Citizents are concerning about part of the park, near the sports fields at the old airport, and action of planning and cleaning helped the organization "Zid" , and " Green Home " , as well as the firm Elko team .

D. KALAC