A Luxurious Belgrade Hotel Connected to Donald Trump

From an investor's perspective, the building's location on one of the central streets in the Serbian capital is self-explanatory. For Serbians, the former military building in the ruins is much more.

Highlights

• Expect debate over plans to redevelop Belgrade's bombed Ministry of Defense site by Jared Kushner's company.

• Questions arise about potential political influence and ethical concerns.   

• Read about the emotional weight of the site, representing NATO's 1999 bombing of Yugoslavia.

Two years prior to his presidential run, Donald Trump had his eyes set on a very particular location in the capital of Serbia. His initial plan to build a luxury hotel at a very prominent location in Belgrade has now been inherited by his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who has reached an agreement with the Serbian government. In addition to a luxury hotel, the project includes an apartment complex and a museum, covered by a 99-year, no-charge lease.

The potential luxury hotel project in Belgrade.

However, the Serbian public did not welcome the news about the agreement with open arms. The praised, sought-after location in Belgrade is, in fact, the site of the bombed Yugoslav Ministry of Defense headquarters, destroyed by NATO in 1999. The thought of the demolished Defense Ministry site, standing as a symbol of Serbian suffering, being redeveloped by an American company seems to have opened up a deep 25-year-old wound. 

The Controversial Belgrade Deal