Goran Vasić, acting director of the Republic Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments, has been arrested on suspicion of forging documents. These documents led the Serbian government to remove the General Staff and Ministry of Defense buildings in Belgrade from the list of protected cultural monuments, paving the way for luxury development projects.
Vasić admitted to abusing his official position and falsifying official documents. However, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić denies any forgery occurred and insists the development plans continue as planned.
The buildings, damaged during NATO bombing in 1999 and declared cultural monuments in 2005, were slated for redevelopment into a luxury hotel and residential complex by Jared Kushner’s company, Affinity Partners. Kushner’s firm claims no involvement in the document changes and has expressed uncertainty about the project’s future following Vasić’s arrest.
The case has sparked public outrage, including protests by Belgrade University students. Legal experts suggest the forgery may involve high-level state actors, highlighting potential pressure on the Organized Crime Prosecutor’s Office, which is leading the investigation.
