Thousands of Serbs gathered in Belgrade to protest government-supported initiative to construct a luxury hotel on the grounds of a historic former military compound that was demolished during a bombing campaign in 1999.
The development is being managed by Affinity Partners, a private equity firm founded by Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, in 2021, that is focused on investing in American and Israeli companies, with funding primarily from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
The proposed hotel site is situated in central Belgrade at the General Staff building, which served as the headquarters for the Yugoslav army and suffered significant damage during NATO’s operations aimed at resolving the Kosovo conflict.
Last year, the Serbian government sanctioned a multimillion-dollar agreement with Affinity Global Development for the redevelopment of a specific site. This contract encompasses a 99-year lease for a three-block area and outlines plans for the construction of a Trump-branded hotel, upscale apartments, office spaces, retail shops, and a memorial dedicated to the victims of bombings.
Opposition parties have voiced their disapproval of the agreement, whereas President Aleksandar Vucic and his administration have advocated for it as a step towards modernizing the capital.
This week’s demonstration took place on Serbia’s Remembrance Day, commemorating the anniversary of NATO’s bombing campaign that began in 1999. Protesters assembled near the remnants of the old military complex, calling for its restoration as a heritage site and the cancellation of redevelopment proposals. The protesters referred to the complex as “a symbol of NATO aggression” and opposed the idea of “handing it over” to US developers.
This week’s protests coincided with current student-led anti-corruption movement in Serbia, which was ignited by a tragic building collapse at the Novi Sad railway station last November, that resulted in the deaths of 16 people. This tragedy has triggered widespread anger and led to the resignation of a number of high-ranking officials, including Serbia’s Prime Minister Milos Vucevic. Since then, protesters have called for extensive political reforms.
As usual, Serbian officials have attributed the protests to “foreign meddling”, alleging that opposition factions are working in conjunction with Western, Croatian, and Albanian intelligence agencies in an effort to destabilize the government.