Huh, we traveled through Serbia and Montenegro by train 5 years ago and stayed in Belgrade for 3 days, I cannot remember seeing any cameras. But I certainly <i>do</i> remember the feeling that China is trying to seek influence in Serbia. If I remember correctly, there was a gigantic billboard right outside the main station in Belgrade which showed the futuristic utopia a Chinese company wanted to build in the surrounding quarter after demolishing the old (and beautiful) station.<p>PS: if you are European and looking for a great 3-4 week trip, buy a train ticket to Belgrade via Ljubljana (stay there 2 nights) and Zagreb (stay there 2 nights). Stay in Belgrade for 2 days, take the trans-balkan express train (a beautiful and spectacular ride) to Montenegro, stay in Kotor for a week, take a bus to Dubrovnik, stay there for one week, take a bus up coast to Split, stay there for one week, and then you can either take the night train back to Zagreb and from there back home, or continue up coast via Rovinj and Piran to Triest, and take a train back home from there. You will not be disappointed.
The article suggests that there will be roughly 8000 cameras in Belgrade including body cams etc.<p>“ The latest information gathered from the second DPIA of the Ministry suggests that there will be more than 8000 different cameras and other devices in use, such as body cams, mobile cameras and vehicle-mounted cameras.”<p>Quite a low figure compared to the over 600 thousand CCTV cameras in London:<p>“ If there was one camera for every 14 people in London, that would put the number of CCTV cameras in use in the capital as 627,707.”<p><a href="https://www.cctv.co.uk/how-many-cctv-cameras-are-there-in-london/" rel="nofollow">https://www.cctv.co.uk/how-many-cctv-cameras-are-there-in-lo...</a>
>What especially caught the public’s attention was the fact that these cameras — supplied by Chinese tech giant Huawei — will have facial and vehicle license plate recognition capabilitie<p>Becoming a Chinese Client State: The Case of Serbia
<a href="https://www.csis.org/analysis/becoming-chinese-client-state-case-serbia" rel="nofollow">https://www.csis.org/analysis/becoming-chinese-client-state-...</a>
The article mentions serbia negotiating EU membership. Having traveled in many balkan countries that try to be in the EU, serbia felt like a place that doesn't really try too hard.<p>It's geographical disputes with neighbors aren't really helping.<p>That said, Serbia is an amazing country with many layers of history and a culture that I felt very fond of, and it's sad to see the recent movements.
I'm sure those Chinese cameras weren't donated for free. It would be interesting to see the contract and if there's a 99 year lease mentioned anywhere in case of payment default.[0]<p>[0]<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magampura_Mahinda_Rajapaksa_Port" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magampura_Mahinda_Rajapaksa_Po...</a>
We need more statements through Art to combat this kind of thing.
<a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/Building_covered_in_eyes_in_Barcelona%2C_Spain.jpg" rel="nofollow">https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/Building...</a>
Back when the Kosovo thing was unfolding and the Muslims were making headways over there, the West was mum about the whole thing, vilifying the East, looking to slander Serbia and other countries who were aiding them.<p>Now that the Chinese have taken hold of one area and are growing their influence there, suddenly it's a topic worthy of discussion and critique. With 1M+ Muslims in concentration camps, I am curious as to how this is going to unfold.<p>As the expression goes, it looks like the shoe is on the other foot. Or as I like to see it: you made your bed, now lie in it.