Serbia leases ex-army HQ in Belgrade to Trump son-in-law's firm
The Serbian construction ministry said in a statement that the "reputable American company" connected to Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. former President Donald Trump, was chosen for the work it described as "revitalization of the compound."
"Everything ... will be in line with the Serbian laws, in cooperation with the government and relevant institutions ... that are responsible for urban planning and the protection of cultural heritage," the statement said.
It did not specify the value of the investment, nor the deadline for its completion.
In March, Kushner announced that a wider investment by his Affinity Partners in the Balkans would include projects in Albania and in Belgrade at the site of the headquarters buildings, where it would include a hotel, apartments, shops and office spaces.
Kushner, a former top aide to Trump when he was president, set up the investment firm after stepping down from the job in 2021. Affinity did not immediately respond to request for comment.
- The two buildings were damaged in 1999 during the NATO bombing of the former Yugoslavia launched to force the then strongman Slobodan Milosevic to end his bloody crackdown against Albanians in Kosovo.
- The statement said that the investor agreed to return the land without compensation if it fails to complete the investment in time and to build a memorial center dedicated to all the victims of the NATO bombing.
The statement also quoted Asher Abershera, the CEO of the Affinity Global Development as saying that Serbian architects and designers would be invited to submit ideas for the memorial center.
Their design is meant to resemble a canyon of the Sutjeska river in Eastern Bosnia, where one of the major World War Two battles against the Germans in the Balkans was fought in 1943.
Published 9 hours ago
By Antonije Kovačević
SIGNED CONTRACT FOR A LUXURY HOTEL IN THE CENTER OF BELGRADE: A monument to the victims is also emerging in the complex on the site of the General Staff (PHOTO GALLERY)
A luxury hotel and apartment complex with a total value of half a billion dollars should soon spring up on the site of the former General Staff complex in Knez Miloša Street in Belgrade, whose investor will be the company of Jared Kushner, who served as Senior Advisor to former US president and candidate in this year’s presidential election, Donald Trump.
The company Affinity Global Development, according to the contract signed in Belgrade on Monday, May 13. by Asher Abehsera, CEO of Affinity Global Development, and Goran Vesić, Minister of Infrastructure and Energy of Serbia, in the presence of the Vice-President of the Serbian Government Sinisa Mali, will lease a plot in the place of the General Staff – partially destroyed in the NATO bombing – for 99 years, and the Republic of Serbia will in return receive 22.5 percent of the profit from the operation of the complex.
In this ambitious and in many respects revolutionary project for the future of Belgrade, the cultural and historical quarter in the center of Belgrade, which has been neglected for 25 years, will be transformed into a luxury hotel complex with world-class facilities, commercial (shopping) facilities and over 1,500 apartments. The completion of the works should mark a big step in the revitalization of the core of the city.
Exclusively for the Serbian Times, Jared Kushner states:
“The economic progress in Serbia over the past decade has been impressive. This development will further elevate Belgrade into the premier international destination it is becoming.”
DESTINATION BELGRADE: Jared Kushner’s company will hire the best Serbian architects for the project.
As Serbian Times has learned, Jared Kushner, in negotiations with the state leadership, expressed great respect for the Serbian victims who suffered during the bombing in 1999 and announced a plan to build a Memorial Center within the complex at the site of the General Staff.
Kushner is looking for the best architects for the complex and the Memorial Center
– At a meeting with Serbian officials, Kushner said that he wanted to pay tribute to the victims of the NATO bombing by building a Memorial Center with a monument to those who fell. For this purpose, the best Serbian architects and designers will be invited, and the plan is to choose the name of the complex through a public debate. The project aims not only to breathe new life into this part of the city but also to pay tribute to its poignant history through the Memorial Center, a source close to the American company revealed to Serbian Times.
On the other hand, the 5-star hotel complex will, according to announcements from the company Affinity Global Development, set new standards in luxury, offering world-class facilities and accommodation that will attract tourists and businesspeople from all over the world. In addition to the hotel, some of the world’s most prestigious brands will be opening stores within the complex, as well as fine dining hospitality companies, which should encourage local trade and provide employment and growth opportunities for locals and visitors alike.
SERBIA TO PROFIT 22%: Memorandum between the state and Kushner’s company announces plans to lease the space for 99 years.
The project includes a unique aspect of cooperation in which Serbian architects and designers will be invited to submit their ideas for the Memorial Center.
“This approach ensures that the reconstruction not only represents a fusion of Serbian and American innovation but also respects and incorporates local craftsmanship and artistic expressions. The redevelopment is not just about building buildings; it’s about building bridges between cultures, respecting the past, and creating the foundation for a prosperous future, refined lifestyle, and sustainability in the center of Belgrade”, Asher Abehsera, CEO of Affinity Global Development, tells exclusively for our portal.
He points out that he expects the project to dramatically transform the cityscape of Belgrade, “turning a neglected area into a lively center of activity and culture which celebrates Serbia’s rich history and bright future.”
“Our goal is for this complex to be a beacon of international cooperation and cultural respect, which should become a feature of the entire region,” concludes Abehsera.
COMBINATION OF MODERN AND TRADITIONAL: View of the complex from Nemanjina Street
Kushner: Everything must be transparent and legal
Kushner previously said in a statement to the New York Times that Richard Grenell, the former special envoy for the Balkans appointed by Donald Trump, ex-president of the US and Kushner’s son-in-law, encouraged him to enter this project.
“Ric (Richard Grenell) is a big proponent of investing in the Balkans and has been trying to get me to invest in this project since I started my fund,” Kushner told The New York Times, noting that the American company would build on a site that had been bombed by NATO in the past.
According to Serbian officials, Kushner’s company never received special treatment through the process, given the sensitivity of his position, since he is married to Trump’s older daughter, Ivanka, and has played an important role in the Trump administration, adding that he was extremely attentive to act in accordance with the law.
“Everything must be completely transparent,” said Jared Kushner for the New York Times.
FAMILY TIES: Jared Kushner, Ivanka and Donald Trump Photo: Yahoo
At one time, Trump, as the president of the USA, appointed Richard Grenell as a special envoy for the Balkans, and the latter strongly advocated the increase of American investments in Serbia. Grenell was seen among European diplomats as someone who favored the Serbian side in the negotiations. He put a lot of pressure on Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti to abolish customs duties on Serbian products, and there were also rumors about proposals from Washington for the US to withdraw peacekeeping forces from Kosovo.
The CEO of Kushner’s company signed a contract with the Government of Serbia
The day before yesterday, on May 13, Asher Abehsera, CEO of Affinity Global Development, signed an official agreement for the former General staff complex with Goran Vesić, the Serbian Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister Siniša Mali in the Government of Serbia in Belgrade.
CONTRACT SIGNED: Abehsera, CEO of Affinity, with Serbian government officials Siniša Mali and Goran Vesić
Belgrade is getting the largest hotel and business complex
As our portal has learned, the planned residential-hotel-business complex to be built in Downtown Belgrade will cover a total area of 280,000 square meters, making it the largest of its kind in the Serbian capital and in the whole of Serbia.
THE SERBIAN PUBLIC WILL BE THE GODFATHER: A public debate will be launched on the name of the General Staff complex
Within the complex, there will be 3 towers of 30 floors each, with a maximum height of 135 meters.
In a recent interview with the New York Times, Jared Kushner confirmed that his investment firm is conducting business in Serbia and luxury real estate projects in Albania and that he expects those agreements to be finalized soon.
LUXURY HOTEL, APARTMENTS, SHOPS: The largest complex of its kind in the capital of Serbia
25 years ago, the forces of 19 NATO countries, led by the USA, militarily intervened and bombed then-SR Yugoslavia, and among others, the RTS national television building and the buildings of the General Staff and the Ministry of Defense in the center of Belgrade, the work of the famous architect Nikola Dobrović and protected cultural property of Serbia.
Although they were not used for military purposes at the time, the buildings on Kneza Miloša Street were bombarded with several missiles. 25 years have passed since then, and they still stand in ruins, as a symbol of suffering during the NATO bombing.
Article: Serbian Times Photo: Affinity Partners
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