Baric
Celtic crossing turned chemical hub—Barič's Prva Iskra plant was bombed in 1999, now neighbor to Serbia's largest thermal power complex.
Barič exists because the Kolubara needed crossing—and because Belgrade needed agricultural hinterland connected. This village of 6,918 (2011 census) on the Kolubara's right bank preserves the remains of the Scordisci, the Celtic tribe that founded Singidunum and Taurunum (Belgrade and Zemun). Two thousand years later, a narrow-gauge railroad traced the route from Železnik through Ostružnica, Umka, and Mala Moštanica to Barič and on to Obrenovac—transporting agricultural products from rural areas to the capital.
The 20th century added industry. The Prva Iskra chemical plant transformed Barič from agricultural node to industrial site, part of Obrenovac's broader identity as energy and chemical hub. That identity made it a target: during the 1999 NATO bombing campaign, Prva Iskra and the surrounding area were struck, joining Batajnica Airport, Rakovica, and dozens of other sites in the 78-day air war.
Today Barič exists in the shadow of TPP Nikola Tesla, the thermal power complex that generates 47% of Serbia's electricity from Kolubara lignite. The narrow-gauge railroad is gone; the chemicals still flow; the proximity to Belgrade's industrial infrastructure defines the village's economic logic. By 2026, Barič's future depends on whether the chemical industry adapts to European environmental standards—or whether proximity to coal-fired power becomes liability rather than asset.