Serbian Lawmakers Approve Kushner-Linked Real Estate Initiative Amid Protests

Belgrade, Serbia, Nov 7 (AP) – In a controversial move, Serbian lawmakers advanced a significant real estate initiative tied to Jared Kushner, son-in-law of former President Donald Trump, despite facing strong public backlash and legal challenges. On Friday, after intense parliamentary debates and street protests, the Serbian parliament passed a special law facilitating the project with a vote of 130-40 in the 250-member body.

The plan involves transforming a historic former Yugoslav military complex in central Belgrade, partially demolished during the NATO bombing in 1999. Despite last year’s government decision to remove the site's protected status and lease it to US-based Affinity Global Development (linked to Kushner), the project had stalled. This was due to Serbia’s organized crime prosecutors investigating alleged document forgery tied to the removal of the complex’s protected status.

President Aleksandar Vucic's administration claims that the project will bolster the economy and strengthen ties with the US. However, experts and critics argue against disrupting the architectural heritage and national symbol of resistance against the NATO bombing, which many in Serbia consider as unwarranted aggression.

The newly passed Lex Specialis law now empowers authorities to proceed with demolishing the remnants of the landmark buildings, celebrated examples of mid-20th-century architecture in former Yugoslavia. Importantly, the legislation fails to mention Kushner’s Affinity Partners or specifics of future developments.

Milenko Jovanov, a lawmaker from the populist Serbian Progressive Party, defended the project, asserting, “We are demolishing the ruins in order to build.” Yet, opponents argue the bill compromises Serbia's legal system and involves corruption. Transparency Serbia flagged the legislation as a dangerous blend of legal corruption and manipulation of laws to suit particular interests.

President Vucic suggests the ongoing judicial investigation was urged by external forces to hinder Serbia's diplomatic relations with the Trump administration. The envisioned USD 500 million luxury complex would feature a high-rise hotel, luxury apartments, offices, and shops. Additionally, Kushner’s company reportedly plans to build a memorial within the site, honoring victims of the NATO strikes.

Amid the parliamentary discussions, hundreds protested outside, championing the preservation of cultural heritage with banners stating, “Culture is not for sale, we will not give up the general staff building.” Opposition lawmaker Aleksandar Jovanovic criticized the law as a “crime,” replacing historical significance with "casinos and Jacuzzis."

Serbia endured 78 days of NATO bombing in 1999, targeting then-President Slobodan Milosevic's actions against ethnic Albanians in Kosovo. Anti-NATO sentiments persist in Serbia, and the US’s involvement in redeveloping the former military headquarters remains a contentious issue.

Vucic's government has faced substantial youth-led protests, challenging its hold on power amid accusations of corruption in state projects. These demonstrations intensified following the collapse of a concrete canopy in Novi Sad, which killed 16 people post-renovation. On November 1, tens of thousands commemorated the tragedy’s anniversary, underscoring ongoing discontent.

In related developments, another Balkan country, Albania, recently approved a USD 1.6 billion Kushner-linked investment to transform a communist-era fortified island into a luxury resort on its Adriatic coast. (AP)

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