She was at the head of a group of citizens, who, with persistent protests, forced the government to remove 410 tons of waste imported from Italy and illegally disposed in Drvar and neighboring municipalities. However, this is neither the first nor the last fight in which Živana Sabljić from Drvar took part.
She fought for the return of the exiled citizens of Drvar, mostly Serbs, to their homeland. She also fought for greater participation of women in politics, she was disappointed, but still she did not give up that fight.
She also took part in protests, in which citizens demanded the introduction of the Serbian language in schools in Drvar.
She has fought, and still fights, against corruption. She insists on transparency and accountability. Since 1999, when she returned to her home town of Drvar, Živana Sabljić (61) has always been closely monitoring the work of authorities.
“I have to raise my voice, because young people are silent”
Because of that, she often found herself under attack by powerful people. The people of Drvar still remember how two politicians in 2015, publicly, on the local radio, insulted her and her friends from the Women’s Association “Lasta”, because they dared to ask how the money was spent for the purchase of equipment for the hospital.
– They tried to silence me many times. They insulted me on the radio station, I sued them and won the lawsuit. I have to raise my voice, because young people are silent. I have to fight, I do not agree with the story about the fighters for national interests, who successfully fought only for apartments in Banja Luka and Belgrade – says Živana for Srpskainfo.
Apart from transparency and justice, she persistently fights for the preservation of healthy environment and natural resources, which adorn the area in Drvar.
– This is a poor and neglected area. Clean air, healthy water, forests and mountains are all we have. We must not allow profit hunters and corrupt politicians to destroy all of this – says Živana.
Precisely because of that, the battle against Italian garbage for her and her comrades-in-arms is not over. They insist that, after the removal of waste, all those responsible for this affair have to be punished.
Živana does not give up on other battles either. She demands information why the firefighters, the Civil Protection and the Forest Management did not prevent, and localize the fire in time, which had been burning in the fields around Drvar for days.
– We also demand investigation how and according to what criteria three days before the elections in Drvar, COVID-19 aid was distributed – says Živana.
Trying to be independent, after returning to Drvar, she dedicated herself to agriculture. With her husband, she founded a poultry farm.
– We invested everything we acquired before the war in that farm. And when they could not silence me, they tried to destroy it. However, their efforts are in vain, we will continue working and fighting – says Živana.
It all started with an inspection and a procedure in which, as she claims, it was “proven” in an extremely suspicious way that her chickens were infected with salmonella.
– They took samples according to which my hens and their eggs were allegedly positive for salmonella. The day before, I also took samples, took them to the reference laboratory in Bihać and the samples were negative. However, that testing was not taken into account in the procedure – says Živana.
She claims that she also asked for another opinion/inspection because the first inspection and results were forged.
– On World Animal Day, October 4, 2019, euthanasia was performed. They destroyed 800 of my hens and 17,000 eggs. And they also asked me to bury them on my property – says Živana.
But she did not give up: neither from her farm, nor from the fight for justice. She took a loan, bought 1,000 chickens and rebuilt the farm. Right now, her farm is doing very well.
She initiated an administrative dispute against the Cantonal Inspectorate and proved in court that they violated the law.
– But the legal battle is not over yet. When the dispute is over, I, like David Štrbac with the badger, will take a picture with the chicken in court. I am sure everyone will be surprised – says Živana.
“FEMALE POLITICIANS ARE PARTY LEADERS’ PAWNS”
Živana Sabljić proudly points out that she has fought for greater participation of women in politics for years. Together with the activists of the “Lasta” Association, she fought for the establishment of the Commission for Gender Equality in Drvar. However, she admits that women politicians have disappointed her.
– In most cases, they are pawns in the service of party leaders. I have not heard that, on any issue, they took a common position and persisted in it – says Živana.
However, Živana adds that she will continue to fight for gender equality and especially for the economic empowerment of women, because that is a precondition for true independence.
Živana’s fighting spirit, activism and perseverance were also recognized by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in BiH, which included her in the project “Women Guardians of the Green Krajina”.
