Serbia's parliament has approved a law on the construction of a luxury Trump-branded hotel and residential complex in the center of Belgrade. The project was put forward by Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, and has been a subject of discussion for a long time.
The editorial office, citing Politico, reports that the area in question is where the former Yugoslav army headquarters building was located. That building was destroyed in 1999 as a result of NATO bombing aimed at stopping the war in Kosovo and was considered both an architectural monument and an unofficial memorial for years. The project's value is reported to be approximately 500 million dollars.
The authorities present the project as a step that will strengthen relations with the United States. President Aleksandar Vučić stated that the project will strengthen Belgrade's economic and diplomatic position. However, the opposition and civil society representatives sharply criticize the decision, emphasizing that historical memory is being sacrificed for commercial interests.
Opposition MP Marinika Tepić protested the government's decision with the statement, “Where bombs fell, champagne will now flow.” At the same time, against the backdrop of dissatisfaction with corruption in the country, mass protests against this project have been held over the past year.
It should be noted that Affinity Partners, managed by Jared Kushner, obtained a 99-year lease right from the Serbian government in 2022 for the implementation of the project.