Commencement of preparatory works for construction of apartments in Vozdovac - Old owners on strike

The preparatory works for the construction of apartments in the location of former Vojvoda Stepa Stepanovic barracks in Belgrade's borough of Vozdovac, within the scope of the mass residential development project of the Government of Serbia, started today (August 30, 2010).

The works on construction of a residential-business complex with 4,578 apartments and 147 outlets were opened by Serbian Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning Oliver Dulic.

Dulic stated on that occasion that the first phase of works would include clearing of the site, adding that the first flats were expected to be ready for use in 2010.

According to him, a total of 30,000 workers will be employed to finish this €250 million project, and a sum of €70 million of the total investment will be spent on salaries for the workers.

- Former owners of the land, who protested today in front of the old barracks, are not entitled to restitution or compensation - said the Minister.

- It is not disputable that their ancestors were owners of the land 60 years ago, but the land has been in state ownership for 60 years and the Building Directorate of Serbia has purchased it under a proper procedure - Dulic explained.

Dragan Grujic, the Director of the Building Directorate of Serbia, said that the construction of apartments would start in early October, so that the first apartments were expected to be ready for tenants in March 2012.

He said that the price of one square meter with the value added tax (VAT) would be smaller than EUR 1,290 and that all citizens of Serbia would be able to buy those apartments, even those who already had a real estate in their possession, but the members of one household would be able to buy only one apartment.

Grujic said that over 3,500 apartments had already been booked, but he added that that did not mean that all those who had booked the apartments were entitled to buy them.

Strikers

Zivorad Zivotic, the representative of former owners of the land, said to the press that they were protesting "because of the mass land confiscation by the state, which commenced back in 1951 on various bases - expropriation, nationalization, and lease contracts".

He pointed out that the land owners had "all the necessary documentation and ask for return of the land or fair compensation".

He added that the land owners had spoken to the authorities earlier, but that they had only got reply from Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic who had instructed them to address the Ministry of Finance.

Zivotic announced that the land owners would protect their property and that they would seek justice at the International Court of Justice in Strasbourg.