Serbia erupts in anger after Chinese firm demolishes war monument to make way for highway

The demolition of a war monument at the hands of a Chinese construction firm has ensued outrage in a small Serbian village. According to RFE/RL, the Chinese company destroyed the historically-significant monument to make way for the creation of a highway. 

According to the outlet, a plaque with the names of Serbian men who fought in the first and second world wars has also been ruined in the process. What now remains are some pieces of statues of the soldiers, but for how long, the people of Negrisori are unsure. The monument that was damaged paid homage to the soldiers of Serbia who lost their lives. This has enraged locals and veteran groups. 

Locals express anger over demolition

Nikola Calovic, a resident of Negrisori said, "I can't believe someone destroyed a monument to people who gave their lives to this country. I will personally, in my name, file a criminal complaint with the competent prosecutor's office." Dragomir Zivanovic, another local, revealed that he was "in tears" after he found out that the monument had been destroyed.

"I have no comment adequate for this kind of act. I was born here and grew up here. I mean that is a sin, a sin against the ancestors, against the people who gave their lives," Zivanovic said. Despite the backlash, the Serbian Ministry of Construction has argued that the Chinese firm received the authorization to demolish the monument. 

Milivoje Dolovic, the mayor of the city of Lucani said, "That monument was located on the route of the highway and the Chinese contractor had permission from the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments from Kraljevo to remove it." However, the company in question has drawn flak before, and had been sanctioned by the World Bank over fraud in the Philippines.