Serbia’s construction minister, Aleksandra Sofronijević, said the government has terminated a controversial agreement with the firm of Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump. The agreement covered construction of a luxury complex on the site of the former General Staff building in Belgrade, which NATO bombed in 1999.
Serbia’s outgoing government had backed Kushner’s plan to build a luxury commercial and residential complex, “Trump Towers,” that would include a casino. The project was to go ahead after the General Staff building’s heritage protection was lifted, which opened the way for its demolition.
In November 2024, the Serbian government lifted the heritage protection on the General Staff building, despite the prosecutors’ assessments and warnings from experts. A court case over the decision is now under way against Culture Minister Nikola Selaković and other officials.
They have been charged with abuse of power; at the start of the trial, they pleaded not guilty.
The project and the plan to demolish the building, which was bombed during the alliance’s air strikes meant to stop the war in Kosovo, prompted numerous protests in Serbia from experts and Belgrade residents.
On Oct. 25, the ruling camp lost early parliamentary elections to the Student List, a group of independent candidates chosen by Serbian students, who have organized antigovernment protests for almost two years. (PAP)
