The first hearing was held today in the lawsuit filed by Milenijum Team, a construction company close to the Serbian Progressive Party Government, against Don’t Let Belgrade Drown.
According to the lawsuit, Don’t Let Belgrade Drown caused material damage to Milenijum Team by reducing the value of the company’s trademark in the amount of 100 thousand euros, which is the amount the company is seeking in damages. The immediate reason for these claims by the company contracted to build Belgrade Waterfront, and numerous other state projects, is the publication of a text on changing the urban plan which allows this company to demolish the Goša Research and Development Institute and build a residential and business complex on the site.
In a separate trial, the Milenijum Team also sued Dobrica Veselinović for the same amount of up to 100 thousand euros, for commenting in public on the lawsuit against the Movement. We remind you that one of the owners of the company physically attacked Dobrica Veselinović during one of the protests we organized against the construction of Belgrade Waterfront, and the Don’t Let Belgrade Drown movement has been targeted by powerful people close to the authorities since its founding.
Lawsuits filed by large companies against pesky activists and journalists serve to intimidate and sabotage the work of those who point out violations of the law and harmful projects. In legal practice, they are known as SLAPP suits, and their key characteristic is that the amounts demanded as compensation are many times higher than the usual court practice when determining damages for the alleged actions, but also that their goal is not to win in court, but to influence those who act in public. Namely, it is completely clear that there was no violation of the value of the trademark or logo of Milenijum Team.
This, as well as other forms of pressure and lawsuits filed against the Don’t Let Belgrade Drown Movement, tell us that we are on the right track in the fight for the public interest, against the corrupt political elite.
With these lawsuits, the Milenijum Team has shown that it is afraid of the consistency and principles of the Don’t Let Belgrade Drown Movement, which is determined to stand in the way of corruption and stop all harmful projects of this Government and related companies.
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