How Jared Kushner’s Luxe Hotel Scheme Ignited a City Revolt
‘NOT FOR SALE’
The project has been described as an insult to Serbia’s dignity and history, with critics lambasting it as a government effort to curry favor with Donald Trump.
". . .Serbian officials who spoke with The Daily Beast described the project as inappropriate for several reasons—including its impact on the cultural heritage of Belgrade.
“It’s one of the pearls of pre-war architecture,” Serbian politician and opposition leader Borko Stefanovic told The Daily Beast.
“It’s one of the pearls of pre-war architecture,” Serbian politician and opposition leader Borko Stefanovic told The Daily Beast.
“There is the emotional aspect: This site was bombed by NATO in 1999. Most Serbs believe this site should not be desecrated in any way.”
Stefanovic is the deputy president of the Party of Freedom and Justice in Serbia’s parliament, and his center-left coalition fear that the Serbian government might use the deal to curry favor with Kushner—and ultimately, Donald Trump, his father-in-law and the presumptive Republican nominee for U.S. president.
“There is absolutely no transparency, the government is not willing to present to the public any aspect of this possible deal,” Stefanovic said. “Mr. Vucic and his regime are counting desperately that Mr. Trump will win in the United States.”
Stefanovic is the deputy president of the Party of Freedom and Justice in Serbia’s parliament, and his center-left coalition fear that the Serbian government might use the deal to curry favor with Kushner—and ultimately, Donald Trump, his father-in-law and the presumptive Republican nominee for U.S. president.
“There is absolutely no transparency, the government is not willing to present to the public any aspect of this possible deal,” Stefanovic said. “Mr. Vucic and his regime are counting desperately that Mr. Trump will win in the United States.”
. . .By law, the army headquarters site—which had been destroyed in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s 1999 bombing in Serbia—can only sustain construction for the purpose of returning it to its original structure and purpose.
But for over 25,000 Serbs, the new luxury construction plan from Kushner’s private equity firm doesn’t pass the smell test, and is in fact insulting to Serbian history.
- “The demolition of this complex represents the destruction of dignity,” the group’s petition states.
But the group hasn’t signed a deal yet, a person familiar with the proposal, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told The Daily Beast.
Affinity Partners previously told the New York Times the plan would include a museum and memorial.
The Kreni-Promeni group is planning other ways to pressure the government to cancel any planning with the Kushner-backed project, including through demonstrations, Manojlovic said.
“Petition, protest, and public pressure—we will do everything to protect our state, citizens, and national and constitutional pride, to not give our government a chance to do this illegal act of giving land to the Kushner family,” Manojlovic told The Daily Beast, describing the venture as “very problematic.”
His message for Kushner and his team is simple: Stay out of Serbian affairs
“Serbia is not for sale,” Manojlovic said.
Affinity Partners previously told the New York Times the plan would include a museum and memorial.
The Kreni-Promeni group is planning other ways to pressure the government to cancel any planning with the Kushner-backed project, including through demonstrations, Manojlovic said.
“Petition, protest, and public pressure—we will do everything to protect our state, citizens, and national and constitutional pride, to not give our government a chance to do this illegal act of giving land to the Kushner family,” Manojlovic told The Daily Beast, describing the venture as “very problematic.”
His message for Kushner and his team is simple: Stay out of Serbian affairs
“Serbia is not for sale,” Manojlovic said.
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