While the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, says that the planned construction of Jared Kushner's hotel on the site of the General Staff is an "important project" and rejects allegations of falsification of documents, experts and the general public are concerned about the way in which they attempted to remove protection from one of the most significant buildings in Belgrade's modern history.
The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, rejected allegations that the construction of a luxury hotel from the "Trump" chain was planned. at the site of the bombed General Staff in Belgrade is threatened or associated with any illegal activities.
"There was no falsification and we will discuss everything with everyone," Vucic said in response to a question from a Bloomberg reporter in Tirana, where he participated in the summit of the European Political Community. He is claims of falsified documentation called it an attempt to obstruct an important project and compared them to earlier accusations made in connection with the "Belgrade on Water" project.
"You know, that's what always happens. And now everyone is very proud of that project," added Vučić, stating that some of the loudest critics ended up buying apartments in that complex themselves.
Vučić emphasized that the plan of Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, is an "important project for us", rejecting that any abuse or political trade is behind the process of removing protection from the General Staff complex.
How did Goran Vasić become a figure in the game around the General Staff?
However, behind the president's statement and formal optimism, a number of controversial events are hidden. Namely, the question arises as to how the acting director of the Republic Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments, Goran Vasic, became a key figure in this process - and not according to professional, but political criteria.
Let us remind you that Vasić was arrested on suspicion of forging a document proposing the removal of protection from the General Staff building. Employees of the Institute claim that they were not informed about his actions and that the proposal did not pass the regular procedure or expert discussion. Shortly after his arrest, Vasić pleaded guilty, and the court prohibited him from contacting witnesses, but did not order custody.
The pressure on the Institute intensified in 2023, when the then director Dubravka Đukanović refused the ultimatum of Finance Minister Siniša Malog to either remove protection from the General Staff or resign - which she eventually did. Vasić, who succeeded her, signed the proposal in silence, without the knowledge of the expert council and without consulting the authorities.
The contract with the company "Affinity Global Development", associated with Kushner, was signed a year earlier by the then minister Goran Vesić, paving the way for private development on the site of the historic and symbolic building.
Because of the whole case, both domestic and international institutions - among them the European Parliament - expressed their concern about the systemic violation of the protection of cultural property in Serbia. Employees of the Institute refused to delete the General Staff from the Register of Cultural Property, and Mr. Vasić's proposal was discovered only when the police came to the institution in connection with the investigation.
This situation shows how political and business interests in Serbia often override professional processes, and institutional decisions are made outside the legally prescribed procedures - with silence or coercion on those who should be guardians of the public interest.
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