Kushner-linked hotel plan on historic site sparks protests in Serbia
3 Min Read
Thousands in Belgrade rallied against a redevelopment plan backed by Jared Kushner to turn the former Yugoslav army headquarters, damaged during the 1999 NATO bombing, into a luxury hotel and commercial complex.
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A man holds a Serbian flag during a protest in front of a military complex that was partially destroyed in a NATO bombing campaign in 1999, after Serbian lawmakers on Friday passed a special law clearing the way for a controversial real estate project that would be financed by an investment company linked to President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner in Belgrade, Serbia, on November 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
Thousands of protesters gathered in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, opposing a government-backed plan to redevelop the former Yugoslav army headquarters into a luxury hotel and commercial complex. The site, heavily damaged in the 1999 NATO bombing campaign, is seen by many as a national symbol and memorial to those killed by NATO.
The project, which involves a long-term lease to Jared Kushner’s Affinity Global Development firm, has sparked significant public backlash. Demonstrators voiced outrage over what they see as the erasure of national heritage in favor of foreign investment.
The rally adds to a wave of anti-government demonstrations that have intensified in recent months. Discontent has been building since the collapse of a railway station roof a year ago that left 16 people dead, further eroding public trust in President Aleksandar Vucic’s administration.
Thousands rally in Belgrade to preserve NATO bombed HQ
— RT (@RT_com) November 11, 2025
Yugoslavia's army HQ was partially destroyed in the 1999 air bombing
A new project linked to the US seeks to replace it with a high-rise hotel, offices & shops
‘The Army HQ is not a dowry,’ said protesters led by students pic.twitter.com/thMG2L67q1
“We came here to raise our voice against the law,” said Teodora Smiljanic, a 48-year-old protester. “By passing this law, he [Vucic] is aiming to please Trump and curry favour.”
Serbian lawmakers approved legislation on Friday aimed at expediting the administrative process for Kushner’s company to begin development. The law was passed without amendments, despite the opposition saying that it is unconstitutional.
The ruling majority defended the move, arguing it was essential to strengthen relations with the US and boost economic prospects. The deal grants a 99-year lease to Affinity Global Development, allowing the construction of a hotel, luxury apartments, offices, and retail spaces on the contested site.
Critics question constitutionality and cultural impact
The former army compound had previously been protected as a cultural heritage site, but in November last year, Vucic’s government revoked that status. Critics have condemned the decision as an attack on national identity and historical preservation.
Many Serbs regard the bombed-out structure as a prominent example of Yugoslav-era modernist architecture and a powerful symbol of resistance. Its transformation into a commercial development has fueled accusations that the government is prioritizing foreign interests over public sentiment.
🚨🇷🇸JUST IN: Mass protests erupt in Belgrade this morning against the construction of Trump’s hotel.
— Mario ZNA (@MarioBojic) November 11, 2025
Students in Serbia have launched another protest opposing the Trump Tower project, planned on the very site where NATO and the U.S. once bombed central Belgrade. pic.twitter.com/bipLaCy0uq
Kushner, who is married to US President Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka, founded Affinity Global Development after leaving his position as a White House advisor in 2021. According to Vucic, the planned investment will exceed 650 million euros ($753 million) and is expected to boost Belgrade’s tourism appeal and urban development.
“We are giving the land, and they are providing an investment of at least 650 [million] euros ($753 m), a huge investment for our country,” Vucic told the pro-government broadcaster Pink TV. “This will increase the value of everything in Belgrade, further attract tourists … it will be worth over one billion euros right away.”
