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erbian parliament approved a special law on Friday that clears the path for a high‑profile real‑estate venture tied to Jared Kushner’s investment firm, despite public outcry and legal challenges. The plan will transform a former military headquarters in central Belgrade—partially destroyed during the 1999 NATO bombing—into a luxury complex featuring a skyscraper hotel, office towers and retail spaces. The bill passed 130‑to‑40 in the 250‑member assembly after days of heated debate and street protests.
Last year, the government removed the site’s protected status and signed a 99‑year lease with Affinity Global Development, a U.S. company linked to Kushner. The deal stalled when Serbian prosecutors opened an inquiry into whether documents used to strip the heritage designation were forged. The new law, dubbed “Lex Specialis,” authorizes demolition of the remaining structures, which are considered prime examples of mid‑century Yugoslav architecture.
Progress‑oriented lawmakers, led by President Aleksandar Vučić, argue the project will boost the economy and strengthen ties with the current U.S. administration. Critics, however, point to the site’s architectural value and its symbolic role as a resistance monument against NATO’s bombing, which many Serbians still view as unjust aggression. The bill itself makes no reference to Kushner’s company or specific development plans. “We are demolishing the ruins to build,” said Progressive Party deputy Milenko Jovanov during the debate.
Transparency Serbia, a corruption watchdog, warned that the legislation “combines the legalization of law violations with tailoring general rules to serve hidden interests in a single case.” Vučić claims the ongoing investigation was triggered by foreign pressure to prevent stronger U.S. relations. The proposed $500 million complex would include a high‑rise hotel, luxury apartments, offices, shops and a memorial dedicated to all victims of the NATO bombing, according to officials.
Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the parliament building, chanting “Culture is not for sale” and demanding the preservation of the historic site. Opposition MP Aleksandar Jovanović called the law a “crime” that would replace heritage with “casinos and Jacuzzis.” Former army chief Zdravko Ponos warned that demolishing the headquarters would erase a national symbol. He criticized the deal with Kushner’s firm, accusing the government of sacrificing taxpayers’ money for a foreign investor.
Serbia’s 1999 bombing campaign, which lasted 78 days, aimed to force then‑President Slobodan Milošević to end his crackdown on ethnic Albanians in Kosovo. Anti‑NATO sentiment remains strong, and many view the U.S. role in revamping the army headquarters as particularly sensitive. Vučić’s popularity has been tested by youth‑led protests accusing his administration of corruption in state projects, sparked by a collapsed concrete canopy at a Novi Sad train station that killed 16 people. The tragedy’s anniversary drew tens of thousands of mourners on November 1.
In a related development, Albania approved a $1.6 billion investment from Kushner’s company to convert a communist‑era fortified island into a luxury resort, underscoring the broader Balkan interest in high‑profile foreign projects.
