Đorđe Miketić from the initiative “The Bridge Remains” highlighted serious concerns regarding the legal status of buildings within the “Belgrade Waterfront” development. According to Miketić, a significant portion of the structures in this area are not registered in the real estate cadastre and lack the necessary use permits. He specifically mentioned the “Belgrade Waterfront” tower at 1 Nikolaja Kravcova Street, located on the Qatar-owned plot 1508/411, as a case in point.
Miketić claims that the tower, which houses the luxurious St. Regis hotel—opened by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić—has been occupied despite the absence of a use permit. He pointed out that there are only mortgages registered on the plot, as there is no verified building status, and therefore no official information on the number of floors, apartments, or commercial spaces in the tower.
“A use permit is an official document certifying that a building is ready and safe for occupancy,” Miketić explains. “This means that the construction project has adhered to regulations, the equipment has been inspected and is functional, and the building is connected to all necessary infrastructure.” He questioned how it is possible for a luxury hotel like the St. Regis, where a room costs nearly 1,000 euros per night, to be operating without written confirmation of its safety and compliance.
Miketić warns that such oversight places both the building’s residents and its visitors, as well as all Belgrade citizens, at risk. He described the “Belgrade Waterfront” tower, often hailed as a symbol of the development, as essentially an illegal structure—a “billboard” where people are living and doing business, despite the significant safety risks involved.
Furthermore, Miketić pointed out that many other residential and commercial buildings in the “Belgrade Waterfront” complex are similarly unregistered in the real estate cadastre, particularly those located on plots 1508/347, 1508/348, 1508/427, and 22646.
He concluded with an urgent call for the “Belgrade Waterfront” project to be brought into compliance with the laws of the Republic of Serbia. “This situation must be addressed immediately,” Miketić emphasized.
