BELGRADE:Thousands protested in the Serbian capital, accusing the authorities of theft and violence connected to plans to redevelop a popular area of Belgrade.
Protesters chanted out loud, “We will not be ignored”, “thieves” and other such phrases at the rally against the $3billion (2.7-billion euro) deal with an Abu Dhabi-based developer Eagle Hills to transform part of Belgrade into an upscale housing and shopping complex.Demonstrators took aim in particular at an incident on April 24 in the arts and nightlife district of Savamala, where several buildings were demolished in the night by mysterious masked men.
Organisers said that some 15,000 people joined the march, which went off without violence. Police put the number at 4,000, though journalists at the scene said at least double that number of protesters had attended. Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic who had unveiled the waterfront project in 2014, had branded the masked men as “idiots” for their behaviourand said that the buildings had been scheduled for demolition.The agreement signed with developer aims to turn parts of Savamala and surrounding areas into nearly two million square meters (21.5 million square feet) of malls, offices and apartment blocks. The centerpiece of the project is a 200-metre tall Dubai-style tower.
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