🔗 Share this article Serbia endorses disputed development initiative connected to Trump The disputed property development led by President Trump's son-in-law has sparked protests The Serbian parliament has approved a bill that sets the stage for a disputed real estate project spearheaded by US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner in the capital. His firm Affinity Partners has sought to develop a luxury hotel and apartment project on the location of the former Yugoslav Army headquarters. The ruined edifice, which was struck by Nato forces in 1999 throughout its operation to end the Serbian military actions in Kosovo, holds symbolic value to many who view it as a reminder and representation of ongoing opposition to the international coalition. The Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who has sought strong ties with Trump, has endorsed the proposal in the face of demonstrations and legal challenges. In the past year, the Serbian government removed the property of its protected designation and authorized a extended lease with the developer's firm, which had set out blueprints for a $500 million development. The determination triggered protests and initiated an inquiry into whether a Serbian authority had forged documentation employed in the procedure to modify the property's classification. During a interview earlier this year, Head of State Aleksandar Vucic supported the initiative, remarking "it's essential to move past the weight from 1999". He elaborated: "We are ready to develop better relations with the America – I consider that is terribly crucial for this nation." The stalled development timeline reached a climax recently when the president's political group – which maintains a majority in the legislature – moved forward with a designated ballot on preparing the area and prevailed. Dissenting politicians have labelled the decision against the constitution, notably Aleksandar Jovanovic, who characterized it as a "offense", and stated the historic site would be substituted with "gaming establishments and spas". Meanwhile, liberal representative Marinika Tepic commented the authorities was compromising the state's history "to satisfy the former president". The approval of the law has furthermore been questioned by heritage specialists, and arrives subsequent to an anti-corruption group, an anti-corruption organisation, expressed worries about publicly-endorsed developments. Based on Serbian news accounts pre-dating his first presidential campaign, the former president previously contemplated constructing a accommodation venue in Belgrade. Last March, Kushner told journalists he was uninformed of his father-in-law's claimed past involvement. The determination to pave the path for the project comes as Vucic's administration seeks to maintain favorable connections with each of America and the Russian Federation. Serbia has been affected by the two the former president's economic policies and restrictions on Moscow's investments in the nation, including on its single fuel processing plant, the mainly Moscow-controlled Nafna Industrika Srbije (NIS).