The Serbian parliament has passed a law that sets the stage for a disputed development venture spearheaded by former President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner in Belgrade.
His firm Affinity Partners has sought to construct a luxury hospitality venue and residential complex on the premises of the previous Yugoslav Army headquarters.
The ruined edifice, which was bombed by Nato troops in 1999 amid its campaign to end the Serbian armed forces campaign in Kosovo, holds emotional value to certain groups who see it as a memorial and symbol of continuing opposition to the defense organization.
Serbia's Head of State Aleksandar Vucic, who has sought strong connections with Trump, has endorsed the plans notwithstanding protests and constitutional disputes.
Last year, the national authorities removed the building of its heritage classification and agreed a long-term lease with Kushner's organization, which had presented designs for a half-billion dollar project.
The ruling provoked public gatherings and led to an inquiry into whether a national authority had falsified papers employed throughout the procedure to change the structure's status.
In a conversation in June, Head of State Aleksandar Vucic defended the proposal, saying "it's essential to overcome the weight from 1999".
He elaborated: "We are prepared to develop improved ties with the America – I consider that is exceptionally crucial for this nation."
The delayed planning procedure came to a head on Friday when Vucic's political group – which maintains a dominant in the assembly – proceeded with a special ballot on developing the area and prevailed.
Opposition lawmakers have described the ruling unconstitutional, notably Aleksandar Jovanovic, who termed it as a "crime", and stated the significant building would be replaced with "gaming establishments and hot tubs".
At the same time, progressive representative Marinika Tepic commented the authorities was compromising the country's heritage "to please the former president".
The passage of the law has furthermore been questioned by architectural professionals, and follows subsequent to Transparency Serbia, an anti-corruption organisation, expressed concerns about publicly-endorsed initiatives.
Based on local media coverage pre-dating his first presidential run, the former president previously explored developing a accommodation venue in Belgrade.
In March, the developer stated reporters he was uninformed of his father-in-law's reported past involvement.
The determination to pave the path for the construction comes as Vucic's cabinet aims to maintain good relations with both Washington and Russia.
Serbia has been impacted by both the former president's tariffs and sanctions on the Russian Federation's interests in the country, encompassing on its sole petroleum facility, the primarily Russian-owned Nafna Industrika Srbije (NIS).
