Marinika Tepić, Vice President of the Freedom and Justice Party (SSP), publicly claimed on Wednesday that Goran Vasić, the acting director of the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments, has altered his courtroom testimony and is now denying that he previously confessed to charges against him in the controversial “Generalštab” (Army Headquarters) case.
Taking to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Tepić leveled harsh criticisms against state leadership:
“It wasn’t enough for them to mess with the entire ‘project,’ nor to drag a whole chain of subordinates into it, nor to invent ‘Milenko’s Law’ to save Selaković, Mali, Vesić, Vučević, and Vučić… but now they continue with mafia-like tactics,” Tepić wrote.
The SSP has since published the complete, unabridged indictment on its official website.
Allegations of Forgery to Clear Prime Real Estate
The high-stakes legal battle centers around Culture Minister Nikola Selaković and three other state officials. They stand accused of carrying out a series of unlawful actions to forge an official document with false content.
According to the prosecution, this falsified paperwork was used by the authorities to:
- Strip the protective cultural heritage status from the iconic Generalštab building complex, which has stood severely damaged since the 1999 NATO bombings.
- Pass a lex specialis (special law) that clears the legal path for the architectural landmark’s demolition.
The ultimate goal of removing these protections was to facilitate the construction of a luxury hotel complex featuring soaring towers. The project was backed by a contract signed between former Construction Minister Goran Vesić and an investment firm owned by Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump. However, amid intense and sustained public protests, Kushner’s company has temporarily pulled out of the deal.
Courthouse Confrontations and Broader Political Fallout
Minister Selaković, alongside the other co-defendants, firmly denied all guilt during the earlier phases of the trial. In mounting his defense, Selaković launched aggressive rhetorical attacks against the Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime.
This specific prosecution office is currently handling multiple highly sensitive political files that have shaken the ruling establishment—most notably the ongoing criminal investigation into the catastrophic canopy collapse at the Novi Sad railway station.
Prior to today’s hearing, a small but vocal group of students and local citizens gathered outside the Special Court in Belgrade, staging a demonstration to confront Minister Selaković as he arrived at the building for the continuation of his trial.
