The monument consisted of the 2.6-metre-tall (9 ft) granite plated pedestal and a disproportionally small head of Gagarin in the helmet.

The public reaction was overwhelmingly negative and was followed by the uproar in social media and reports in the international news.

Officially named "Open Trade Center", it was colloquially called Buvljak, a generic short term for that type of markets (Serbian: buvlja pijaca).

South of Buvljak, across the Yuri Gagarin street, is the neighborhood of Savski Nasip, while the Block 42 on the west separates it from Belville.

[12] The market is partially encircled by the above-ground access road to the Ada Bridge, and the adjoining interchange.

When the construction of the access road to the bridge began, the central plateau was reorganized in 2010 and now has 787 stalls on 23,190 m2 (249,600 sq ft).

[13] Though all sorts of commodities can be found (food, plastic products, car gear and spare parts, consumer electronics, dishes, household items), the most abundant are the stalls with cloths and footwear.

[4] The Block 42 is projected as the location of the future Belgrade's main bus station, so the city's General Urban Plan envisioned the displacement of the market.

The section where the market is located at the moment is planned for the shopping mall and a business building, 65 to 100 m (213 to 328 ft) high.

Possible sites include areas in other parts of New Belgrade, like those just south across the Yuri Gagarin street (Savski Nasip) or at the westernmost section of the municipality, in the neighborhood of Dr Ivan Ribar.

[15] In August 2019 it was announced that the "Kopernikus" company purchased the entire 2.5 ha (6.2 acres) lot in the Block 43, which includes the market, for 2.36 billion dinars (€20 million).

The company plans to build the largest business complex in Serbia, including the tallest skyscraper, "Kopernikus Tower".

[17][18][19][20] In March 2020, city decided to relocate the Buvljak to corner of Marka Čelebonovića and Balanička (thoroughfare T6).

[21] New location is deemed too distant, badly connected (only one line of public transportation) and was even compared to the future pet cemetery which is closer to the city.

[23] In March 2023, mayor Aleksandar Šapić said that the market will be relocated much further, but on the opposite side, in the neighborhood of Miljakovac.

[25] Western section of Block 42 since 2009 was settled as the informal settlement colloquially named Romville which was, somewhat forcefully, resettled on 26 April 2012.

In the fenced area, on the corner of Antifašističke borbe Street and Milutina Milankovića Boulevard, city administration decided to build a tourist attraction, called "Terazije 1930".

Even so, 72 million dinars (some 680,000 euros) were spent on the sets, and after the strong public reaction to the reports that the facility is illegally connected to the electric grid, the replica was torn down in 2015.

[30] The fencing off had no effect as the lot was soon again turned into the illegal market with piles of garbage, so in October 2017 the ninth operation of cleaning the area in the past 4 years began.

A public underground garage with 200 parking spots is also projected and, to accommodate over 1,200 buses daily, surrounding streets, including the "Yuri Gagarin", will receive an additional lane.

[40] Despite the quite obvious fact that no works have been done, which was confirmed by the BAS, the official investor of the new building, and a statement by the same company that the planning paperwork haven't been compiled and that building permit hasn't been issued, deputy mayor Goran Vesić stated that the works began on 13 May 2019 and that they will be finished in 18 months.

Although the widening, arranging and expanding of the surrounding streets and public spaces has even shorter deadline than the station complex, these works hadn't begun by March 2020.

[43] This was changed again in August 2020 when the works in the neighboring streets fully began and it was announced that annex will become operational and taking over 50% of lines from the old bus station by the end of 2020.

Latest changes of the project, which would allow construction of the much larger building, were adopted in December 2020, and city announced completion of the works for the late 2021.

Still claiming that the relocation of the old station may start "in few months", city admitted that the works can't be finished before 2023.

Union representatives of the BAS announced they will not allow the partial relocation due to the inadequate new quarters, and that old station will be moved only when the stationary building is finished in the new complex, while reporters referred to the entire process of construction in Block 42 a "Mexican telenovela".

Experts now pointed out the architecturally overblown project, and bad monetary and construction planning as finishing a smaller part of the mega station would make it partially operational by now.

[51][52] After proper works stopped in 2017,[53] in July 2023 Šapić stated that if everything is OK the station will become operational "at full capacity" at the beginning of 2024.

[56][57] However, President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić said a month later that the station will be finished in 2025,[58] and that works are so late, because of million other projects, like the reconstruction of the BIGZ building and its Bauhaus façade.

[61] In connection with the construction of the Belgrade–Novi Sad high-speed railway in 2017–2022, the station was partially reconstructed and upgraded, including works on the plateau, canopy, staircase, and addition of ticket booth and six elevators.