Serbia's legislative body has passed a law that paves the way for a contentious development project overseen by US President Donald Trump's family member Jared Kushner in the capital.
Kushner's company Affinity Partners has aimed to construct a luxury hotel and apartment development on the site of the former Yugoslav Army headquarters.
The destroyed building, which was bombed by North Atlantic Treaty Organization forces in 1999 during its operation to end the Serbian military campaign in Kosovo, holds significant meaning to many who see it as a reminder and representation of ongoing resistance to the military alliance.
The Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who has maintained friendly relations with Trump, has backed the development notwithstanding public opposition and legal objections.
Previously, the national authorities removed the property of its protected designation and agreed a 99-year contract with Kushner's company, which had presented plans for a $500m project.
The ruling provoked public gatherings and led to an inquiry into whether a national government representative had manipulated documentation used throughout the process to alter the building's status.
During a conversation recently, President Aleksandar Vucic defended the plan, stating "it's crucial to move past the burden from 1999".
He elaborated: "We are prepared to establish improved ties with the US – I think that is terribly important for this nation."
The delayed approval process reached a climax recently when the president's party – which holds a controlling in the legislature – pushed ahead with a specific decision on clearing the site and prevailed.
Dissenting representatives have labelled the outcome against the constitution, including Aleksandar Jovanovic, who termed it as a "offense", and stated the historic site would be substituted with "casinos and Jacuzzis".
Meanwhile, liberal representative Marinika Tepic commented the government was sacrificing the country's heritage "to please Trump".
The passage of the bill has also been criticised by architectural professionals, and arrives subsequent to Transparency Serbia, an transparency organisation, expressed worries about government-supported developments.
Based on Serbian news reports prior to his initial election bid, the former president in the past contemplated building a accommodation venue in Belgrade.
Last March, Kushner stated journalists he was uninformed of his relative's alleged previous consideration.
The decision to enable progress for the project comes as the president's government seeks to sustain favorable connections with both America and Moscow.
The nation has been influenced by each of the former president's trade measures and penalties on Russian interests in the country, encompassing on its single oil-refinery, the mainly Russian Federation-held Nafna Industrika Srbije (NIS).
