15. December 2020.
SRBATOM Wants to Contribute to Planet Preservation for Future Generations Project “Zelena Srbija” (“Green Serbia”) realized in five places in Serbia

Serbian Radiation and Nuclear Safety and Security Directorate (SRBATOM) is carrying out the campaign “Zelena Srbija” in December that entails tree planting in 10 cities/municipalities in Serbia.

So far, a number of different types of trees have been planted in five places in Serbia: Apatin, Sombor, Cacak, Sabac and Beocin.

On this occasion, Mr Sladjan Velinov, SRBATOM’s Director said that “One of the major objectives of Serbian Radiation and Nuclear Safety and Security Directorate is to preserve the environment from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation. In addition to its everyday activities, the Directorate wants to give its contribution to the environmental protection and its upgrade by planting trees. As a socially responsible organization, SRBATOM wants to raise the citizens’ awareness on the importance of afforestation in Serbia, and to play a part in the planet’s preservation for future generations”.

On this occasion, Mr Sladjan Velinov, SRBATOM’s Director said that “One of the major objectives of Serbian Radiation and Nuclear Safety and Security Directorate is to preserve the environment from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation. In addition to its everyday activities, the Directorate wants to give its contribution to the environmental protection and its upgrade by planting trees. As a socially responsible organization, SRBATOM wants to raise the citizens’ awareness on the importance of afforestation in Serbia, and to play a part in the planet’s preservation for future generations”.

APATIN

Klára Szilvia Szekér

The action started in Apatin, with the Embassy of Hungary as the first one to support the action of “Zelena Srbija”. Hungarian embassy was represented by Klára Szilvia Szekér, the regional attaché for agriculture and environmental protection in the Western Balkans who stated “a tree has always satisfied the needs of humankind since it provides food, heat, oxygen, and unconditionally contributes to the fight against global warming”.

Dubravka Korać

The mayor of Apatin, Ms Dubravka Korac stated that she is proud that Apatin is one of ten municipalities taking part in this project.

SOMBOR

After Apatin, Sombor was the second city where the project “Zelena Srbija” was carried out, and where 20 maple tree seedlings were planted.

Antonio Ratković

The mayor of Sombor, Mr Antonio Ratkovic said, “we all know that the wooded areas in Vojvodina are small and that we all should give our best to increase them. Apparently, we have already started, and, as we all know that the city of Sombor, in addition to being the city of culture is known as the green city, which means that my team and myself are obliged to sustain this in the future”.

;CACAK

The planting of catalpa trees in the garden of the National Museum in Cacak was performed by Maja Gojkovic, the minister of culture and information, and the ambassador of the Union of Myanmar, H.E Thurain Thant Zin, and the mayor of Cacak, Mr Milun Todorovic as well.

Chairperson of SRBATOM’s Board, Ms Maja Gojkovic

The Minister of culture and information and the Chairperson of SRBATOM’s Board, Ms Maja Gojkovic pointed out that we are obliged to understand that we are living in the time of climate changes, and that we cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that our natural surroundings is changing.

“This symbolic act of planting a tree means petitioning to the entire Serbia and all local self-governments and companies to consider the option to join the national project of “Zelena Srbija”, so that following the modernization of our cities and the state, we could give though to the possibility to heal our environment, and the best way to achieve this is to grow new plants and trees”, said Ms Gojkovic.

Ambassador of the Union of Myanmar, H.E Thurain Thant Zin

The Ambassador of the Union of Myanmar said that his country had abolished the mass production in timber industry and pointed to the fact that in 1948, 70% of its territory was wooded and covered in forests, which is currently only 48%.

“In the past years, the awareness of the environmental protection has been risen in general population. The adverse effect on the environment is evident and visible, and people encounter this on their daily basis. Climate changes, global warming, air, water and soil pollution are the major examples. Since we all share this planet, we are all responsible for the environmental protection and preservation”, said the Ambassador of the Union of Myanmar to Serbia, H.E. Thurain Thant Zin

The Mayor of Cacak, Mr Milun Todorovic

The mayor of Cacak, Mr Milun Todorovic said that the city of Cacak had planted for the past four years, ten times more trees than the trees cut in the territory of Cacak. “of course, the trees as well as people have their biological clock and some of them have to be removed”, added Mr Todorovic.

SABAC

As a part of the project of “Zelena Srbija” ten trees of narrow-leafed ash were planted in Savska Avenue in Sabac.

The mayor of Sabac, Mr Aleksandar Pajic

On this occasion, the mayor of Sabac, Mr Aleksandar Pajic stressed that he was extremely pleased that Sabac was among the cities where this project had been carried out. “We are glad that we can affect the citizens’ awareness on the importance of green areas in this manner. Such actions benefit Sabac as the city of the future with a number of nice, well-arranged and healthy areas for the generations yet to come”, concluded Mr Pajic.

BEOCIN

The fifth place where the project of “Zelena Srbija” took place was the municipality of Beocin where the seedlings of catalpa bignonioides ‘Nana’ and rose-acacia were planted. Ms Mirjana Malesevic Milkic, the mayor of Beocin, Mr Lassi Härmälä, Deputy of the Ambassador of Finland to Serbia, and Mr Predrag Ivanovic, the Chief of Cabinet at Serbian Radiation and Nuclear Safety and Security Directorate were present and took part in this action.

Mr Lassi Härmälä, Deputy of the Ambassador of Finland to Serbia

Mr Lassi Härmälä said that any activity contributing to making our planet greener significantly helps the combat against climate changes in general. “Sustaining the balance between the preservation and use is very important. In Finland, in case of each tree cut, there have to be new seedlings planted. We also have the obligation to maintain the biodiversity by protecting and preserving different types of forests.

“I firmly believe that the green and the healthy are the sides of the same coin. Everybody deserves to live in a healthy surroundings, and thus, I would like to express my gratitude for the realization of this project, or any other project with the aim of greener Serbia”, said Lassi Härmälä.

The mayor of Beocin, Ms Mirjana Malesevic Milkic proudly said that Beocin was among ten municipalities taking part in the project of “Zelena Srbija”, and pointed out that it was definitely not the end of making this municipality greener.

By realizing the project of “Zelena Srbija”, SRBATOM, as a socially responsible institution, wants to give its contribution to raising the awareness on the importance of afforestation in Serbia, but also to exchange experience with the countries with diplomatic offices in Belgrade.