Alwaght- Thousands of angry Serbian have poured into the street to protest against the destruction of vast area for “Belgrade Waterfront”, a controversial $3bn United Arab Emirates-backed development project in Belgrade.
Over 5,000 people gathered on Belgrade’s streets demanding the resignation of the city’s mayor Siniša Mali and those responsible for the destruction of the residential block by a group of masked men.
The protests were the latest in series of demonstrations against the shady demolition which took place on April 24 in the district of Savamala, which is known for its nightlife.
"Resignations are only the first step," said a protester, adding, “We will force them to acknowledge responsibility of all who participated (in the incident.)"
The protests against the project – designed to be a luxury complex of shops, hotels, offices and flats in the heart of Belgrade - follow others earlier this month that have seen thousands of people take to the streets of central Belgrade. Several opposition parties have also lent their support to the cause and called for demonstrations to continue.
The waterfront project was announced in Cannes in March 2014, after a much-publicised meeting between Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic and UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan. During the meeting, Vucic said, the crown prince issued personal guarantees that UAE companies would invest in Belgrade Waterfront and other projects.
Belgrade Waterfront was designed to be a joint venture between Eagle Hills, a UAE company, on the one hand and the Serbian government and Belgrade municipality on the other. It was announced that Eagle Hills would invest $3bn in the project.
