Archive · 12 Nov 2025
Serbians Protest Kushner Hotel Project on Bombing Memorial Site
People in Serbia's capital, Belgrade, are protesting a plan to build a fancy hotel.
The hotel would be built where an old army building, damaged in a war in 1999, still stands.
Many Serbians feel this building is a painful memory of their history and should be a memorial, not a place for a hotel.
Jared Kushner, who is married to Ivanka Trump and worked for the US government, is leading the project.
Critics say the Serbian government passed a special law to make it easier to build the hotel, possibly to please the US.
The government says the big investment will help their country.
Protesters disagree, feeling history is being erased for money and accusing the government of doing something illegal.
Hundreds protested in Belgrade against a luxury hotel project led by Jared Kushner's company.
The planned site is the former Serbian Ministry of Defence and Army headquarters, damaged in 1999 NATO bombings.
Protesters view the damaged buildings as a historical memorial and oppose their demolition for commercial development.
Critics accuse the Serbian government of passing a special law to expedite the project, allegedly prioritizing foreign interests over national heritage.
The Serbian President stated the project involves a long-term lease with a significant investment and is seen as crucial for modernization.
- Who
- Hundreds of Serbian students and residents, Jared Kushner (developer), Aleksandar Vucic (Serbian President)
- What
- Protests against a luxury hotel project planned by Jared Kushner's company on the site of the former Serbian Ministry of Defence and Army headquarters.
- When
- November 11, 2025 (protest date mentioned in photo caption), 1999 (NATO bombing)
- Where
- Belgrade, Serbia, at the former Yugoslav army headquarters.
- Why
- Protesters want to preserve the historic site as a memorial to the 1999 NATO bombing victims and condemn the government for prioritizing commercial interests and foreign investment over national memory and heritage through special legislation.
Protesters and Critics
Serbian Government and Developers
Preservation of Historical Site
Protesters and Critics
Protesters view the former Yugoslav Army headquarters, damaged in 1999 NATO bombings, as a painful part of national history and a memorial to victims. They believe the site should be consecrated and maintained as a memorial, arguing against its demolition for commercial profit and accusing the government of prioritizing foreign interests over historical preservation.
Serbian Government and Developers
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic stated that the land is being leased, not sold, and that the investment of at least 650 million euros ($753 million) is significant for the country. The government sees the project as a step towards modernization and attracting international investment.
Government's Role and Legality
Protesters and Critics
Protesters criticize the government for passing a special law (Lex Specialis) to facilitate the project, perceiving it as a clandestine deal to please the Trump administration and benefit private interests. They believe this action is an 'erasure of national memory' and illegal.
Serbian Government and Developers
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic highlighted the substantial investment in the project and its long-term lease nature, framing it as beneficial for the country's modernization and economic growth. The government appears to have fast-tracked permits through special legislation.
- Project Developer
- Jared Kushner's Affinity Global Development
- Project Site
- Former Serbian Ministry of Defence and Army headquarters, Belgrade
- Site History
- Damaged during NATO's 1999 bombing of Belgrade
- Investment Amount
- At least 650 million euros ($753 million)
- Land Status
- Long-term lease, not a sale
- Government Legislation
- Special law (Lex Specialis) passed to expedite project
