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Serbia approves Kushner-led luxury project on 1999 NATO-bombed site
Serbia's parliament passed legislation Friday clearing the way for a $500 million luxury development led by Jared Kushner, former U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law, on the site of Belgrade's bombed ex-Yugoslav Army headquarters-a move critics call a betrayal of historical memory and a favor to Trump-era ties.
The contested site and its symbolic weight
The ruined complex, struck by NATO airstrikes in 1999 during the Kosovo intervention, has long stood as a potent symbol for Serbs opposing the alliance. Protesters and opposition lawmakers argue its demolition erases a memorial to the conflict, while President Aleksandar Vučić's government insists the project will modernize the capital and strengthen U.S. relations.
Vučić, a Trump ally, told the BBC in June that overcoming "the burden from 1999" was critical, framing closer U.S. ties as "terribly important for this country." His ruling party, holding a parliamentary majority, fast-tracked Friday's vote despite legal challenges and allegations of forged documents in the building's 2023 de-protection.
Opposition and corruption concerns
Opposition figures slammed the decision as unconstitutional. Aleksandar Jovanović, an MP, called it a "crime" that replaces a landmark with "casinos and Jacuzzis," per AFP. Center-left lawmaker Marinika Tepić accused the government of "sacrificing history to please Trump," Politico reported. Architectural experts and anti-corruption group Transparency Serbia have also questioned the opaque, state-backed process.
The 99-year lease, signed last year with Kushner's Affinity Partners, envisions a hotel-apartment complex. Kushner told the New York Times in March he was unaware of Trump's pre-presidential interest in a Belgrade hotel, though Serbian media had previously reported such plans.
Geopolitical tightrope
The approval underscores Vučić's balancing act between Washington and Moscow. Serbia faces pressure from U.S. tariffs and sanctions on Russian-linked entities, including its majority Russian-owned oil refinery, NIS. Analysts note the Kushner project aligns with Vučić's push to attract Western investment while maintaining ties to the Kremlin.
Protests are expected to continue as demolition preparations begin. Legal challenges targeting the de-protection process remain pending in Serbian courts.
