According to sources and documents obtained by "The Guardian", Aleksandar Vučić personally requested the removal of protection from the General Staff
The British newspaper "Guardian" reveals that he is the former president of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić personally intervened in order to enable the realization of the project of building a hotel and residential complex "Trupm Tower" on the site of the building General Staff in Belgrade.
"Guardian" sources and an inspection of the documents show that on February 6, 2024, Vučić organized a meeting with Dubravka Đukanović, former director of the Republic Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments, and another official at the Presidency of Serbia.
At that time, the President of Serbia demanded that the protection of the General Staff as a cultural asset be revoked. Vučić allegedly insulted people from the Institute for the Protection of Monuments for their incompetence and told them to act on his request or to resign.
Agreement between the Government of Serbia and Kouchners The company's contract was signed on May 13, 2024, and provided for the investor to receive the site on a 99-year lease free of charge.
A week after the signing of the contract, Finance Minister Siniša Mali invited Dubravka Đukanović and Olivera Vučković to initiate the procedure of removing protection from the General Staff. Both refused and resigned.
In November 2024, after Trump was re-elected as US president, the Serbian authorities announced that the General Staff's protected status had been revoked. However, in December 2025, indictments were brought against several persons, including the Minister of Culture Nikola Selakovic, due to suspicion of abuse of position.
"The Guardian" states that the indictment does not mention the meeting led by Vučić, which raises questions about the scope of the investigation. Following the indictments, Kushner's company said it would not proceed with the project "at this time." Vučić attacked the prosecutors and threatened that those responsible for the failure of the investment would bear the consequences.
The Guardian received a response from Prosecutor's Office for Organized Crime which said that it has evidence related to Vučić's meeting with officials in February 2024 and that, in addition to those who have already been charged, "they are conducting a preliminary investigation in this case in order to determine the potential criminal responsibility of other persons as well."
Trump's and Kushner's families have denied that they were involved in removing the security from the General Staff building.
"The Guardian" connects the case to the broader issue of a possible conflict of interest during Trump's second term, citing other business arrangements of the Trump family and the Kushners abroad, in parallel with the decisions of the US administration.
Vučić did not answer the Guardian's questions.
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