Serbia speeds up demolishing a historic building for Trump’s son-in-law to build luxury hotel in its place
Serbia’s parliament on Friday approved a bill that would speed up the demolition of the former Yugoslav army headquarters in central Belgrade, where a luxury hotel is expected to be built with the support of Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump.
The military complex, which was partially destroyed in NATO bombing that ended the Kosovo war in 1999, dates back to the mid-20th century.
The Serbian public is divided over the project, which is linked to Kushner’s Miami-based firm Affinity Partners, which is seeking to develop the site into a high-rise hotel.
Avenity Partners signed an agreement with the Serbian government to invest in the site for 99 years, shortly after it was declassified as a cultural asset of the country.
The project stalled in May with allegations that a government official had used forged documents to remove heritage protection from the Yugoslav army headquarters, where investigations are ongoing.
But a special law passed by the Serbian parliament on Friday and posted on its website gives the status of a rush to the redevelopment of the site, forcing state institutions to issue the necessary permits and approvals without delay.
The move was supported by parliament by a vote of 130 to 40, and from his part, the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who has hosted Kushner several times in Belgrade, has expressed his personal support for the project.
One of Avenity’s partners in this project is the UAE’s Eagle Hills, whose name has been linked to the redevelopment of much of the Belgrade riverfront, a project that was met with public condemnation in 2016.
Experts called for the preservation of the building for its historical and cultural value.
“We’ve a unique architectural and urban masterpiece in front of us,” Milian Salata, an architect and member of the Serbian Association of Architects, told a press conference outside the building earlier this week.
“This building is safe and can be restored and preserved for public use and made a memorial to the victims of NATO bombing” he said.
Vučić is still reeling from the fallout from last year’s deadly roof collapse at Novi Sad train station, which many have attributed to government corruption.
A small crowd of demonstrators gathered in front of parliament during Friday’s vote to demand that those responsible for the plant accident be held accountable.
