156
S. Zekovi´ c et al.
sanctions, Serbia’s economy collapsed, with the uncertainty of recovery. Serbia is one
of the most undeveloped European countries on the “inner peripheries of Europe”
(Vujoševi´ c et al. 2010). Its integration into EU or “Europeanization” outside the
Union depends on development perspectives, global trends and a new institutional
context.
In such circumstances, large investments of an already over-indebted country into
an expensive megaproject of the inner-city waterfront redevelopment could hardly
be expected to receive wide expert and public support. However, the idea of the Belgrade Waterfront megaproject has already been announced to the public in 2012, in
accordance with the “fast-lane approach to investors”, with political statements that
the “Tower Belgrade will become a new trade-mark of the capital city and Europe.”
Bancroft (2015) argues that the BWP embodies the promise of Belgrade’s return to
the world stage. After adopting the Agreement and Law on Cooperation between the
Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Government of United Arab Emirates
(2013) Serbian government founded the Belgrade Waterfront Company in 2014 to
mobilize public funds for the BWP implementation.
The BWP was integrated ex-post into the master plan of Belgrade in 2014, and
Belgrade Waterfront Spatial Plan was adopted in 2015. The BWP is a Dubai-inspired
project of the old city’s waterfront redevelopment with little public resistance. However, the Academy of Serbian architects adopted a Declaration on the BWP in 2015,
with arguments against the project.
In accordance with the specific ordinance (2006, 2012), the BWP is verified as
a national priority, which illustrates a dominant model of public–private partnership
with a national/metropolitan influence, despite the influence of an international private investor. The main legal precondition for the realization of the BWP was the
adoption of a lex specialis—a Law on establishing the public interest and the special
procedures of expropriation and issuance of construction permits (only) for the BWP
(2015). Another legal precondition was a Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) between
the Republic of Serbia, Belgrade Waterfront Company and investors from the UAE,
without a tender process. The Ministry of Building, Traffic and Infrastructure has
issued construction permits for the first two towers and their construction has already
started.
The main goal of the BWP is to activate the waterfront and develop a modern urban
center, thus promoting an international image of the Belgrade. The key objective of the
Belgrade Waterfront Spatial Plan is to transform a neglected area into a modern city
center. The general objectives are: protection of river Sava biodiversity, landscape
improvement; revitalization of cultural heritage; better life quality; affirmation of
Belgrade such a tourist destination; modern commercial offer; construction of major
transport systems and infrastructure.
The BWP envisages the construction of two million m
2 on 177.27 ha: 6128 flats
(one million m
2 ), commercial spaces (main tower 210 m high, shopping mall, several
tall buildings), social, cultural, recreational and free spaces. There are predictions
about cleaning the riverfront, old buildings, railway infrastructure, abandoned ships,
environmental clean-up, etc. Total investment in BWP is 3 billion EUR for three
phases (8–30 years).
S. Zekovi´ c et al.
sanctions, Serbia’s economy collapsed, with the uncertainty of recovery. Serbia is one
of the most undeveloped European countries on the “inner peripheries of Europe”
(Vujoševi´ c et al. 2010). Its integration into EU or “Europeanization” outside the
Union depends on development perspectives, global trends and a new institutional
context.
In such circumstances, large investments of an already over-indebted country into
an expensive megaproject of the inner-city waterfront redevelopment could hardly
be expected to receive wide expert and public support. However, the idea of the Belgrade Waterfront megaproject has already been announced to the public in 2012, in
accordance with the “fast-lane approach to investors”, with political statements that
the “Tower Belgrade will become a new trade-mark of the capital city and Europe.”
Bancroft (2015) argues that the BWP embodies the promise of Belgrade’s return to
the world stage. After adopting the Agreement and Law on Cooperation between the
Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Government of United Arab Emirates
(2013) Serbian government founded the Belgrade Waterfront Company in 2014 to
mobilize public funds for the BWP implementation.
The BWP was integrated ex-post into the master plan of Belgrade in 2014, and
Belgrade Waterfront Spatial Plan was adopted in 2015. The BWP is a Dubai-inspired
project of the old city’s waterfront redevelopment with little public resistance. However, the Academy of Serbian architects adopted a Declaration on the BWP in 2015,
with arguments against the project.
In accordance with the specific ordinance (2006, 2012), the BWP is verified as
a national priority, which illustrates a dominant model of public–private partnership
with a national/metropolitan influence, despite the influence of an international private investor. The main legal precondition for the realization of the BWP was the
adoption of a lex specialis—a Law on establishing the public interest and the special
procedures of expropriation and issuance of construction permits (only) for the BWP
(2015). Another legal precondition was a Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) between
the Republic of Serbia, Belgrade Waterfront Company and investors from the UAE,
without a tender process. The Ministry of Building, Traffic and Infrastructure has
issued construction permits for the first two towers and their construction has already
started.
The main goal of the BWP is to activate the waterfront and develop a modern urban
center, thus promoting an international image of the Belgrade. The key objective of the
Belgrade Waterfront Spatial Plan is to transform a neglected area into a modern city
center. The general objectives are: protection of river Sava biodiversity, landscape
improvement; revitalization of cultural heritage; better life quality; affirmation of
Belgrade such a tourist destination; modern commercial offer; construction of major
transport systems and infrastructure.
The BWP envisages the construction of two million m
2 on 177.27 ha: 6128 flats
(one million m
2 ), commercial spaces (main tower 210 m high, shopping mall, several
tall buildings), social, cultural, recreational and free spaces. There are predictions
about cleaning the riverfront, old buildings, railway infrastructure, abandoned ships,
environmental clean-up, etc. Total investment in BWP is 3 billion EUR for three
phases (8–30 years).