Serbia's parliament has passed a law that paves the way for a contentious property initiative spearheaded by US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner in Serbia's capital city.
The business entity Affinity Partners has aimed to develop a high-end hotel and housing project on the site of the ex Yugoslav Army central command.
The ruined building, which was targeted by NATO troops in 1999 during its intervention to halt the Serbian armed forces campaign in Kosovo, holds symbolic value to certain groups who consider it as a monument and representation of ongoing opposition to the international coalition.
The Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who has maintained close ties with the former president, has supported the plans in the face of protests and constitutional challenges.
Last year, the Serbian government revoked the property of its protected status and agreed a extended rental agreement with the developer's firm, which had proposed plans for a $500m construction.
The ruling sparked demonstrations and resulted in an probe into whether a Serbian government representative had manipulated documentation utilized during the method to change the building's status.
Through a interview recently, Head of State Aleksandar Vucic justified the plan, stating "it's essential to transcend the legacy from 1999".
He elaborated: "We are prepared to establish better ties with the America – I consider that is exceptionally crucial for this state."
The halted approval procedure reached a climax recently when Vucic's party – which has a controlling in the legislature – pushed ahead with a special vote on preparing the location and succeeded.
Dissenting lawmakers have described the ruling unconstitutional, including Aleksandar Jovanovic, who characterized it as a "crime", and asserted the significant building would be exchanged with "gaming establishments and Jacuzzis".
Simultaneously, liberal MP Marinika Tepic stated the authorities was compromising the state's history "to appease Trump".
The enactment of the law has also been criticised by heritage specialists, and comes subsequent to Transparency Serbia, an transparency institution, voiced worries about government-supported initiatives.
Per Serbian news reports before his maiden election campaign, Trump previously explored constructing a hotel in Belgrade.
In March, the developer informed reporters he was unfamiliar of his father-in-law's alleged past consideration.
The decision to pave the path for the construction occurs as Vucic's government seeks to sustain positive ties with both Washington and Moscow.
The country has been impacted by each of Trump's tariffs and restrictions on Moscow's investments in the country, including on its single petroleum facility, the majority Moscow-controlled Nafna Industrika Srbije (NIS).
