Junge Welt: Jared Kushner's failed plans disturb Vucic

The German left-wing newspaper's article reads that the project was supposed to cost several hundred million euros, but that the investigation by the Serbian prosecutor's office for organized crime was thwarted due to falsification of documentation, which resulted in an indictment against the Minister of Culture, Nikola Selakovic.

Just a few hours after the indictment, Kushner's company Affinity Partners, which had already withdrawn a $2 billion loan from Saudi Arabia for a project in Belgrade, withdrew from the deal, the daily reports.

"And not only because most 'non-owners' would never be able to set foot in Trump Tower, many Serbians rejected Kushner's idea. Various campaigns and initiatives were launched that advocated for the preservation of the general staff headquarters. From the moment the contract was signed in May 2024, there were constant protests. And on November 11, several thousand people gathered to form a 'living wall' in protest of the planned demolition and the state's dealings with the Trump clan," according to the article.

The newspaper also writes that the investor, Kushner, received exceptional benefits and practically leased the location for 99 years, but that the state of Serbia would have to pay for the "very expensive demolition", and that Kushner would barely have any expenses related to running the hotel.

However, the daily also writes that for Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, it is clear that the culprits are political opponents and the judiciary. Junge Welt writes that he first stated the damage at 750 million euros, and then "without any evidence" doubled that damage to 1.5 billion euros.

"And now, if Vucic is loudly demanding revenge, it could ultimately happen that he too sinks with Trump Tower," Junge Welt concludes.