The company linked to Trump's son-in-law is ending its controversial project in Belgrade

Belgrade - The company Affinity Partners, associated with the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, Jared Kushner, announced today that it is terminating its real estate project in Belgrade. The construction of a luxury complex on the site of the former general staff building destroyed during the NATO bombing has sparked protests from residents, and on Monday, the Serbian prosecutor's office charged the Minister of Culture in connection with the project. President and project supporter Aleksandar Vučić stated that he will sue everyone involved in the project's failure.

On the site of the former Yugoslav army general staff in Belgrade, Affinity Global Development, linked to Kushner, sought to build a luxury complex with hotels, apartments, offices, and shops for $500 million (12.1 billion crowns). At the beginning of November, the Serbian parliament adopted a special law intended to expedite construction.

From the start, the project faced opposition from experts in Serbia and abroad, as well as from the Serbian public. Thousands of people repeatedly protested against it in the streets of Belgrade. They argued for the architectural significance of the buildings and pointed out that the former general staff complex is a symbol of resistance against NATO bombing, which was led by the United States and is still largely considered an act of unjust aggression in Serbia.

"Since significant projects should unite people, not divide them, and out of respect for the citizens of Serbia and the city of Belgrade, we are withdrawing our application and stepping back from further participation," stated a spokesperson for Affinity Partners to N1 and other media outlets.

The decision by Affinity Partners to halt the project comes a day after the Serbian prosecutor's office for organized crime charged Minister of Culture Nikola Selaković and three other officials with abusing their positions and forging documents on the basis of which the government revoked the building's status as a cultural monument.

President Vučić today stated that Serbia lost an investment worth hundreds of millions of euros due to a "slander campaign." He also said he would personally file a lawsuit against all those involved in this "hunt." However, he did not mention any specific individuals. "Serbia has disappeared from the map of successful countries," was quoted by RTS.

According to earlier statements by Vučić, the project was meant to boost the Serbian economy and relations with the Trump administration, which imposed a 35 percent tariff on imports from Serbia and introduced sanctions against the largest oil company in Serbia, NIS, where a majority stake is owned by Russia. Vučić also promised to pardon anyone who would be charged in this case.