Dorćol people rallied against illegal construction, did they want to build a café in the building?

Illegal construction in Strahinjića Bana, Photo: Private archive

The people of Dorćol who were near Skadarlija at 75 Strahinjića Bana Street were surprised to see that the building in front of them had a new large opening in the foundation part of the building.

The enthusiastic locals quickly dialed the construction inspection number, which then went to the field and quickly determined the irregularities.

According to the first information that we found, a group of workers who “enriched” the wall with a hole the size of 1.50×2 meters, took refuge inside the residential building, whose co-owner, according to the first perspectives, ordered the demolition of part of the wall.

Workers in the city center, Photo: Alo.rs

Sonja Bozovic, the city’s inspection affairs secretary, confirmed that the inspection found the destroyed part of the wall on the ground.

– Currently we do not have detailed data, because at the time the inspection went to the place, the workers were not captured. We will have the correct information on Monday, when the investor was also invited to take the minutes – said Božić and claimed that the inspection was called by concerned citizens who claimed that part of the wall was being demolished.

– The inspection went to the field and stated that illegal works were being carried out, what the inspection found was an opening in the wall of the facade measuring 1.50 x 2 meters and something similar to a canopy. The place where the works were carried out was closed and an invitation was left for the client to call and bring all the necessary documentation to be able to continue carrying out this procedure – said the interlocutor.

Workers in the city center, Photo: Alo.rs

Sonja Božović said the realistic assumption was that the works on the building, which is under the protection of the Institute for the Protection of Monuments, were in the middle.

– On Monday we will have the details of their work, as well as the basis on which they decided such works, if they have coverage for that or if they began to carry out the works on their own – says the city secretary.

He explains that illegal construction, that is, works or demolitions, is a criminal act, but he also called on citizens to report it to the competent inspection if they notice that someone is building illegally.

– If the client does not have documentation or grounds on which the work began, a criminal complaint will be charged, which will be sent to the Prosecutor’s Office, which will continue the process. In the additional inspection procedure, you may be ordered to restore the appearance of the building to its previous condition. The inspection teams act in the same way every day, on weekends and during the week, in order to prevent illegal actions of arrogant individuals and not disturb the daily lives of our fellow citizens, concluded the interlocutor.