WSJ: Kushner pulls out of Belgrade project

The Trump hotel project was intended to be built at the site of the General Staff complex designed by architect Nikola Dobrovic after WW 2. The complex of buildings with red stone facades was home to the Yugoslav National Army’s general staff for decades and was protected as a heritage site until recently when that protection was removed by a lex specialis following alleged document tampering. Minister Nikola Selakovic and others were indicted on Monday. A number of protests were staged against plans to demolish the complex which was bombed during the 1999 NATO air strikes.

“Because meaningful projects should unite rather than divide, and out of respect for the people of Serbia and the City of Belgrade, we are withdrawing our application and stepping aside at this time,”WSJ quoted a spokesman for Kushner’s Affinity Partners company as saying.