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The Serbian legislative body has passed a bill that paves the way for a controversial development project overseen by US President Donald Trump's family member Jared Kushner in the capital.

Kushner's company Affinity Partners has sought to build a high-end hospitality venue and residential development on the location of the former Yugoslav Army headquarters.

The ruined edifice, which was targeted by Nato forces in 1999 amid its operation to halt the Serbian armed forces campaign in Kosovo, holds symbolic value to some who see it as a monument and emblem of persistent opposition to the defense organization.

Serbia's Head of State Aleksandar Vucic, who has maintained friendly ties with the former president, has supported the development despite protests and constitutional disputes.

Last year, the Serbian administration removed the structure of its heritage classification and approved a long-term lease with Kushner's firm, which had presented designs for a $500 million construction.

The decision sparked demonstrations and resulted in an inquiry into whether a Serbian authority had falsified records used during the method to change the structure's designation.

Through a conversation recently, Head of State Aleksandar Vucic supported the proposal, stating "it's crucial to move past the weight from 1999".

He elaborated: "We are prepared to develop improved connections with the United States – I consider that is extremely significant for this nation."

The halted approval process culminated on Friday when Vucic's faction – which has a majority in the assembly – moved forward with a specific decision on preparing the site and succeeded.

Opposition representatives have called the ruling unconstitutional, notably Aleksandar Jovanovic, who characterized it as a "offense", and declared the landmark would be substituted with "casinos and hot tubs".

Simultaneously, progressive parliament member Marinika Tepic commented the administration was sacrificing the state's past "to please Trump".

The passage of the bill has furthermore been questioned by architectural experts, and comes following Transparency Serbia, an anti-corruption institution, voiced apprehensions about government-supported projects.

According to Serbian media reports before his first election run, Trump earlier explored developing a hotel in Belgrade.

In March, Kushner stated media outlets he was unfamiliar of his family member's reported previous interest.

The decision to pave the path for the project occurs as the president's cabinet aims to sustain favorable connections with both Washington and the Russian Federation.

The country has been affected by each of Trump's trade measures and sanctions on Moscow's assets in the country, comprising on its only fuel processing plant, the mainly Moscow-controlled Nafna Industrika Srbije (NIS).