Serbia greenlights disputed property plan connected to former President Trump
Serbia's parliament has passed a law that sets the stage for a controversial property project led by former President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner in Serbia's capital city.
Kushner's company Affinity Partners has aimed to construct a high-end hospitality venue and housing complex on the site of the former Yugoslav Army headquarters.
The ruined edifice, which was targeted by North Atlantic Treaty Organization forces in 1999 during its operation to stop Serbia's armed forces operation in Kosovo, holds symbolic value to certain groups who see it as a reminder and emblem of persistent opposition to the military alliance.
The Serbian Head of State Aleksandar Vucic, who has sought strong connections with Trump, has endorsed the plans in the face of public opposition and legal objections.
In the past year, the national administration revoked the building of its heritage status and approved a extended rental agreement with Kushner's company, which had proposed blueprints for a $500m development.
The ruling sparked public gatherings and initiated an investigation into whether a Serbian official had forged records employed in the process to change the building's designation.
In a discussion recently, Head of State Aleksandar Vucic justified the plan, stating "it's essential to transcend the legacy from 1999".
He elaborated: "We are ready to build better ties with the United States – I think that is exceptionally significant for this country."
The delayed approval timeline culminated on Friday when the president's faction – which has a dominant in the legislature – pushed ahead with a special decision on clearing the location and won.
Opposition lawmakers have described the decision unconstitutional, notably Aleksandar Jovanovic, who termed it as a "violation", and asserted the significant building would be replaced with "casinos and Jacuzzis".
Simultaneously, progressive MP Marinika Tepic remarked the authorities was sacrificing the nation's history "to please the former president".
The passage of the law has additionally been questioned by design professionals, and arrives following an anti-corruption group, an anti-corruption body, expressed apprehensions about government-supported projects.
According to local press reports prior to his initial election campaign, the former president previously explored developing a accommodation venue in Belgrade.
Last March, the developer stated journalists he was not aware of his father-in-law's alleged earlier involvement.
The determination to clear the way for the construction comes as Vucic's cabinet seeks to sustain favorable ties with both Washington and Russia.
The country has been affected by each of the former president's economic policies and sanctions on Russian investments in the nation, comprising on its single petroleum facility, the majority Russian-owned Nafna Industrika Srbije (NIS).
