Serbia’s Organized Crime Prosecutor has formally indicted Culture Minister Nikola Selaković and three other officials for abuse of power and document falsification related to a controversial real estate development connected to Jared Kushner, former senior advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump.
The charges center on the alleged illegal removal of protected cultural status from a historic military complex in central Belgrade that was heavily damaged during NATO’s 1999 bombing campaign. The site, considered an architectural monument and symbol of Serbian resistance, had been designated as protected cultural heritage until the defendants allegedly forged documentation to enable its commercial redevelopment.
Last year, the Serbian government signed a 99-year lease agreement with Affinity Global Development, a U.S. firm associated with Kushner, who confirmed his company’s involvement in the $500 million luxury complex project. The development plans include a high-rise hotel, luxury apartments, office spaces, and retail establishments.
Despite ongoing investigations, Serbia’s parliament passed special legislation last month to authorize the construction. President Aleksandar Vučić, a close ally of Minister Selaković, has openly endorsed the project, stating it would benefit Serbia’s relations with the United States. In a remarkable statement, Vučić declared he would pardon any officials convicted in the case, claiming personal responsibility for wanting to “modernize Serbia” and attract major foreign investment.
The project has generated significant domestic and international opposition from preservationists and cultural experts who view the military complex as an important example of mid-20th century Yugoslav architecture. The development is particularly sensitive given the site’s symbolic association with NATO’s 78-day bombing campaign, which remains a deeply contentious chapter in Serbian-American relations.
The case unfolds amid ongoing trade tensions between the two countries, with the U.S. maintaining 35% tariffs on Serbian imports and imposing sanctions on Serbia’s Russian-controlled oil monopoly.