The Organized Crime Prosecutor's Office confirmed that several meetings preceded the decision to revoke the protected heritage status of Belgrade's General Staff complex.
- TOK says witnesses who attended the meetings have already been questioned and will testify at trial.
- Culture Minister Nikola Selaković and three other officials are charged over alleged procedural irregularities.
- Former heritage institute head Dubravka Đukanović's resignation letter confirms three meetings in the first half of 2024.
- Officials reportedly were told to start removal proceedings or resign; both Đukanović and Olivera Vučković refused and left their posts.
- Aleksandar Vučić, who convened a Presidency meeting in February 2024 per a Guardian investigation, has not been charged.
The Organized Crime Prosecutor's Office (TOK) has confirmed that several meetings preceded the decision to revoke the protected cultural heritage status of the General Staff complex in Belgrade. The prosecution said so in a written reply to the N1 television channel.
According to the reply, witnesses who attended the meetings have already been questioned. TOK said they will also testify at the trial of Culture Minister Nikola Selaković and three other officials, who are charged over alleged irregularities in the procedure that removed the complex's protected status.
Guardian investigation and the Presidency meeting
The confirmation comes after an October investigation by the British newspaper The Guardian. It reported that Aleksandar Vučić, who held the office of president at the time, personally convened a meeting with officials at the Presidency building in February 2024. The meeting reportedly dealt with the proposed Trump Tower development at the General Staff site. Vučić has not been charged in the case.
Resignation of the heritage institute head as evidence
TOK told N1 that it has proposed introducing into evidence the written resignation of Dubravka Đukanović, the former head of the Republic Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments. In it, she confirmed that three meetings were held in the first half of 2024, at which officials were told to start proceedings to remove the complex's protected status.
At a meeting on May 22, Đukanović and her counterpart at the Belgrade institute, Olivera Vučković, were reportedly told to resign if they refused to act. Both women refused to initiate the proceedings and left their posts at the Institute.
What remains open
The witnesses questioned so far are expected to give evidence again at the trial of Selaković and the other defendants. The prosecution's reply did not say when the trial will take place or which court will hear the case.
More developments from Serbia are available in our latest news section.
Frequently asked questions
Why did the General Staff complex lose its heritage status?
Prosecutors are investigating alleged irregularities in the procedure that removed the complex's protected status. The case is linked to a proposed Trump Tower development at the site.
Who is charged in the case?
Culture Minister Nikola Selaković and three other officials are charged over the alleged irregularities. Aleksandar Vučić has not been charged.
What did Dubravka Đukanović say in her resignation?
In her written resignation, she confirmed that three meetings were held in the first half of 2024, where officials were told to start proceedings to remove the protected status.
What happened to officials who refused to act?
Dubravka Đukanović and Olivera Vučković were reportedly told to resign if they refused. Both refused to start the proceedings and left their posts at the institute.
