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The Serbian legislative body has approved a bill that paves the way for a controversial real estate project led by former President Trump's family member Jared Kushner in Belgrade.

The business entity Affinity Partners has aimed to build a luxury hospitality venue and residential project on the premises of the previous Yugoslav Army main office.

The damaged structure, which was bombed by Nato forces in 1999 throughout its campaign to stop the Serbian armed forces campaign in Kosovo, holds emotional importance to certain groups who consider it as a memorial and representation of continuing resistance to the military alliance.

The Serbian Head of State Aleksandar Vucic, who has pursued strong relations with the former president, has backed the proposal in the face of protests and judicial disputes.

Previously, the national government revoked the building of its conservation status and agreed a extended contract with the developer's company, which had set out blueprints for a $500m development.

The ruling provoked protests and led to an probe into whether a national government representative had manipulated documentation employed in the procedure to change the building's designation.

In a conversation earlier this year, President Aleksandar Vucic supported the plan, stating "it's essential to transcend the weight from 1999".

He added: "We are prepared to build better connections with the America – I believe that is exceptionally significant for this state."

The delayed planning procedure culminated recently when Vucic's political group – which maintains a majority in the assembly – pushed ahead with a specific ballot on preparing the location and prevailed.

Dissenting lawmakers have called the ruling illegal, among them Aleksandar Jovanovic, who described it as a "offense", and stated the landmark would be substituted with "casinos and Jacuzzis".

At the same time, liberal MP Marinika Tepic commented the authorities was jeopardizing the state's past "to satisfy Trump".

The passage of the legislation has furthermore been challenged by heritage professionals, and follows following Transparency Serbia, an integrity institution, expressed concerns about government-supported projects.

Based on Serbian media reports pre-dating his maiden election run, the former president in the past explored developing a hospitality property in Belgrade.

Earlier this year, the developer informed journalists he was unfamiliar of his relative's reported earlier involvement.

The determination to pave the path for the construction occurs as Vucic's administration attempts to preserve good relations with both the United States and the Russian Federation.

The nation has been impacted by each of Trump's tariffs and sanctions on the Russian Federation's assets in the country, including on its sole petroleum facility, the mainly Russian Federation-held Nafna Industrika Srbije (NIS).