Chinese company apologizes for damaging memorial, to start repairs immediately and pay for them

Photo: Wikimedia/BrankaVV

The Chinese company that is carrying out works on the construction of a Preljina-Pozega highway section has apologized to the citizens of Serbia, the municipality of Licani and the settlement of Negrisori in a letter sent to Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Goran Vesic.

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The apology came because of the damage done to the Monument to Fallen Soldiers in the village of Negrisori. The letter reads that the restoration of the monument and its relocation will be carried out in record time, at the expense of the company.

The letter of apology signed by an executive of China Communications Construction Company, Yang Dong, states that this company performs work on a large number of important projects in Serbia and that it is aware of the responsibility that these tasks carry with them.

"This is also the reason why we always perform our activities strictly in accordance with contractual provisions, but very often and much more broadly than what is stipulated in the contract, aware of the fact that the basis of our contractual relationship is the agreement between our two countries on cooperation in the field of infrastructure and that as a state-owned Chinese company, we also have a responsibility towards the friendship that binds China and Serbia," the company states.

In this sense, they stress that it was never their intention to hurt anyone's feelings with their activities and behavior or upset the local community and the Serbian public.

"On the contrary, as members of a nation with a long history, we understand Serbia's freedom-loving tradition and respect its heroic history," the letter states.

Because of all this, it is added that the company most sincerely regrets the incident that happened on Sunday, March 15, when, given that they had already safely removed the sculptures from the Monument to Fallen Soldiers in the village of Negrisori, they started moving the pedestals in order to be able to continue working on the part of the section without hindrance.

However, the letter continues, due to the age of the pedestal, damage was done to it in the process, and there was also minor damage to one sculpture.

"All measures for the restoration of the monument and its relocation to a suitable place will be carried out in record time, which is characteristic of our company, as always in accordance with the provisions of the contract, with agreement and communication with the competent authorities, and as a socially responsible company, all costs of these activities and the damage caused will be paid by our company," the letter states.

The company promises that in the future, "as always before this unfortunate event" they will be more careful, as well as that they will continue to perform all their activities by paying attention to the good hosts, for the benefit of the local community.

"Once again, we apologize to the citizens of the village of Negrisori and the public of Serbia for the unfortunate event and the attention that it caused. We hope that this event will not spoil the trust that our company enjoys in Serbia and we promise that we will do everything through our work so that the Government of Serbia, but before above all, the citizens of Serbia get the most modern traffic infrastructure in accordance with the highest standards," the letter added.

Minister Vesic previously reacted because of the damage done to the memorial, saying that it was unacceptable and asked the company to urgently reconstruct and restore this monument of historical importance for the citizens of this part of Serbia.

(Telegraf Biznis)