Serbian opposition leader and president of Serbia Centre (SRCE), Zdravko Ponoš, claimed that the family of U.S. President Donald Trump assessed that building a hotel in Belgrade would bring more political harm than financial benefit, and therefore decided to distance themselves from Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić.
Commenting on Jared Kushner’s withdrawal from the planned hotel project on the site of the former General Staff building, Ponoš described the project as “too radioactive” due to its corrupt elements.
“Politically, I think the Trump family pushed Vučić away like he had the plague. The ‘General Staff Project’ was radioactive because of corruption, and all of us who exposed its corrupt nature influenced that outcome. This includes not only the political opposition but also professional associations that communicated globally about the project,” Ponoš said.
Political and Legal Context
Ponoš explained that the Trump family has many non-“radioactive” investment opportunities worldwide and decided that Vučić’s offer posed too high a political risk. He noted that Vučić has long been recognized in the U.S. as a politician whose involvement could harm the American public image, citing Vučić’s exclusion from the Republican convention in Miami in May.
Ponoš also connected the project’s collapse to Vučić’s insistence on a special law (lex specialis) designed to protect Culture Minister Nikola Selaković from criminal responsibility.
“All of Vučić’s maneuvers in recent weeks were aimed at saving Selaković because he knew the project would fail. There is no driver willing to operate heavy machinery at that location now,” Ponoš said.
He warned that the withdrawal could negatively affect other aspects of Serbia’s international relations:
“It would be very welcome if the U.S. administration could clearly distinguish between Vučić and the Serbian state. Vučić insists that Serbia is equivalent to himself, which makes it difficult for the country to stand on solid footing in relations with the U.S., Europe, and others as long as he remains in power.”
Legal Proceedings Linked to the Project
The U.S. investor Jared Kushner pulled out of the project after protests and the filing of criminal charges against senior Serbian officials, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime filed indictments against:
- Culture Minister Nikola Selaković
- Ministry of Culture Secretary Slavica Jelača
- Acting Director of the Republic Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments Goran Vasić
- Acting Director of the Belgrade Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments Aleksandar Ivanović
They are accused of abuse of office and forgery of official documents in connection with the removal of the cultural heritage status from the General Staff buildings.
“The Prosecutor’s Office continues to investigate whether other individuals may also bear criminal responsibility,” the Office said.
