Deal signed for controversial Belgrade waterfront project

Belgrade’s waterfront. Image by Marko Vucicevic / CC BY-SA 2.0

The Serbian government has signed a deal with Abu Dhabi developer Eagle Hills for a massive makeover of Belgrade’s waterfront. According to the deal, the US$3-billion project will transform the historic riverside Savamala area with planned construction of Dubai-style hotels, apartments and offices (including a 200m tower and the largest shopping mall in the Balkans). The controversial project, which is set to begin in September and will take up to 30 years to complete, has received criticism from experts on urban planning and caused protests among the residents of Belgrade. Read more: uk.reuters.com