Another three fountains are to be inaugurated next week.
Mayor Bandić’s fountains are Zagreb’s favorite discussion topic. The infamous investment has been in the public eye for a long time. “Did we really need them, especially at the time of recession? Do we really need to allocate more than 18 million kuna for such a thing? How many kindergartens and schools could have we built with that kind of money?” These were just some of the questions that were regularly asked in the past few years, report Večernji List on July 7, 2016.
At first, they did not stand a chance. Instead of positive comments, these impressive, illuminated objects became a symbol of the Mayor’s rule and of many things that the residents of Zagreb do not agree with. They would say that this is their money that he is using to build “his fountains”. And then one day, a young couple in love briefly forgot all about politics and decided to spend some free time talking and kissing on a bench by the fountain. The next day, a few students decided to take a break from studying in the library and rest there, followed by newlyweds who wanted to have their photos taken by the fountains. Moreover, with the first summer temperatures came the bathers. So, some people joked that the fountains are not so expensive bearing in mind that they also serve as pools. The real hit are the light projections on the fountains. It would be safe to say that people have eventually accepted the project, although they would not admit it.
However, the bitter taste of spending budget money is still there. The residents will probably never let that one go, but they have still accepted the fountains and few would deny that they represent a truly beautiful example of city planning. Finally, citizens have realized that since they have already paid for these impressive structures, the least they could do now is enjoy them.
