Serbia's parliament passed a law on Friday designed to accelerate the development of a luxury complex in Belgrade, leased to an investment company founded by Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law.
U.S.-based Affinity Global Development plans to construct a hotel, apartments, shops, and offices on the site of the former Yugoslav army headquarters—a project that has sparked protests from Serbs who believe the site should be preserved.
Many Serbs view the old headquarters, which was damaged during the 1999 NATO bombing campaign, as a memorial to those who died and a symbol of Yugoslav-era modernist architecture. They opposed the signing of a 99-year lease agreement with Affinity last year.
Some opposition politicians argued that the law was unconstitutional, but the ruling majority passed it without amendments, agreeing that it could take effect before the legal deadline, allowing work to begin soon.
Kushner's broader investment firm, Affinity Partners, did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
Despite protests, the Serbian government removed the buildings’ protected cultural heritage status last November. Kushner, who is married to Trump’s daughter Ivanka, established Affinity Global Development after stepping down as a White House aide in 2021.
The vote comes at a turbulent time for Serbia, as President Aleksandar Vucic has faced large-scale protests following the collapse of a station roof in November 2024, which killed 16 people.
Serbia's only Russian-owned oil refinery is under U.S. sanctions, raising concerns about fuel supplies in the Balkan country this winter.
On Friday, Russia called on Belgrade to clarify President Vucic's comments regarding the potential sale of ammunition to the European Union, amid fears in Moscow that the shipments could end up in Ukraine. Moscow had previously been assured by Serbia that its ammunition would not be sent to Ukraine.
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More than 100 vehicles were involved in a massive pileup on Interstate 96 in western Michigan on Monday (19 January), forcing the highway to shut in both directions amid severe winter weather.
U.S. President Donald Trump has linked his push to take control of Greenland to his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize, as tensions with Europe escalate and the European Union considers retaliatory measures that could reignite a transatlantic trade war.
Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has accepted an invitation from U.S. President Donald Trump to become a founding member of the U.S.-led Board of Peace, while France has declined to take part, citing concerns over the body’s mandate.
The death toll from a devastating fire at a shopping centre in Karachi has climbed to 26, with dozens of people still missing as rescue efforts continue, according to local media.
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