New Year Comes Too Early for Serbia's Capital

Christmas and New Year are coming far too early in the Serbian capital - at least as far as decorations are concerned - locals are compaining.

Many have reacted with mockery after the authorities in Belgrade decided to decorate the city centre on September 29 - a whole three months before the year runs out.

"We have a government unconstitutionally imposing austerity measures on seniors, slashing budgets all over the place, but then spending lots of money on decorations," one Belgrade resident, Jovan Ristic, told BIRN.

College student Zarko Ceranic said he suspected the decorations were put up this early to distract people from other, more pressing, problems. "I think it is way too early - and uneconomical," Ceranic told BIRN.

On social networks, Serbs mocked the government's decision in various creative ways. One Facebook user scheduled a "New Year's party" - for October 31 - which almost 7,000 people already showed interest in attending.

"For the first time in history, New Year decorations in Belgrade are being installed in September. Only complete idiots are capable of this," a Twitter user said:

Prvi put u istoriji, novogodišnji ukrasi u Beogradu postavljaju se u septembru. To mogu samo Kompletni Idioti. pic.twitter.com/hRbmZgKY1v

— Bodin Starcevic (@BodinStarcevic) September 30, 2017

"You're so uninformed, those are not New Year decorations, they're special lights to guide the MiGs which are arriving in Serbia tomorrow," another Twitter user joked.

He or she was referring to the long-awaited fighter jets that Serbia is supposed to receive from old ally Russia.

Some opposition policians also criticised the city authorities.

"Holes beneath your feet and New Year...