**Thousands Protest in Belgrade**
A large crowd of students and citizens gathered outside the former General Staff building in downtown Belgrade on Monday. They were protesting the government‘s decision to allow a hotel to be built on the site.
The General Staff building was once the headquarters of the Yugoslav People’s Army. It was designed by famous architect Nikola Dobrovic and constructed between 1953 and 1964. The building was largely destroyed during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999. After that, it was declared a cultural landmark in 2005.
However, in November 2024, the government revoked its protected status. Now, plans are underway to build a hotel on the site. Many people are upset about this decision.
**Students and Citizens March**
On Monday, students and citizens marched from the Ministry of Culture to the Constitutional Court. They carried signs and banners protesting the government’s decision. At the court, they submitted a petition asking for the General Staff building’s protected status to be restored.
Two groups of people started their march at different points in the city. One group began at the Chamber of Engineers, while another started from the Ministry of Culture. The two groups met up outside the General Staff building.
**Speeches and Protests**
Several speeches were given during the protest. People spoke out against the government’s decision to build a hotel on the site. They said it was disrespectful to the victims of the NATO bombing and that it set a bad precedent for other cultural heritage sites in the country.
One student said, “The General Staff building stands as the last bastion and symbol of the NATO bombing. Today, they want to take that away from us too, and we won’t allow it.”
**Remembering the Victims**
The protesters observed two minutes of silence to honor the victims of the 1999 NATO bombing. They also laid flowers and wreaths at a monument dedicated to children who were killed during the conflict.
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