Cacak Residents Outraged as Children's Daycare Centre to be Replaced by Shopping Mall

Residents of the Serbian city of Cacak are up in arms after news that a children’s daycare centre is set to be demolished and replaced with a shopping mall. The announcement has sparked outrage among locals, who have accused the local government of prioritising business interests over the welfare of children. The proposed shopping mall, which will reportedly include several stores and restaurants, is part of an initiative by the ruling party ‘Napredno’ to bring more investment into the city. However, many residents feel that this decision has been made without taking into account the needs of local families. One mother-of-two, Jelena Milosevic, said she was “devastated” by the news. “My two young children attend this daycare centre and it’s like a second home for them," she said. "It would be such a shame if it were replaced with a shopping mall – where will our kids go? It just doesn’t make sense!” Local activists have also expressed their anger at what they see as an attack on public services in favour of private businesses. “This is yet another example of how big corporations are taking precedence over ordinary people in this country," said Ana Djordjevic from Cacak's Citizens' Rights Group. "We need to stand up for our rights and fight back against these decisions that put profits before people." The Mayor of Cacak has defended his decision, saying that it was necessary to attract more investment into the city and create jobs for its citizens. He also argued that there were other daycare centres in the area which could take on any displaced children from the centre due to be demolished. However, many parents remain unconvinced by these arguments and are determined to fight against what they see as an injustice towards their children. A petition has already been launched calling on Napredno to reverse its decision and save the daycare centre from demolition – something which many hope will happen sooner rather than later.