Eric Trump: Serbia one of Europe's fastest-growing countries, it is an honour to be there

NEW YORK - Confirming plans to build a luxury hotel in Belgrade, Eric Trump, son of US President Donald Trump, has said in an interview Serbia was one of the fastest-growing economies in Europe and that it was an honour for the Trump brand to be present in the country.

"The deal with Serbia comes as the nation is looking for support from the United States for its long-stalled bid to join the European Union," the New York Times reported.

"More than a decade after Donald J Trump first floated the idea of developing a Trump hotel on a government-owned site in Serbia, his family is now close to securing that dream in a complicated deal that also involves a real estate magnate from Abu Dhabi and Jared Kushner, Mr Trump’s son-in-law," the report said.

"Serbia approved a plan to lease the former Yugoslav Ministry of Defense site to a company affiliated with Jared Kushner to build a hotel," it said, adding that Kushner had "formed a partnership with Mohamed Alabbar, the developer of the Burj Khalifa hotel in Dubai, the world’s tallest structure."

"They plan to build the new hotel on the Belgrade site with a lease on the property from the government of Serbia, which will share in the profits, according to a draft of the agreement," the report said.

"Serbia is one of the fastest-growing countries in Europe, and we’re incredibly honoured to be there," Eric Trump said in the interview on Friday, adding that "it’s going to be fun to bring the family together."

"In May, Serbia approved the plan to lease the former Ministry of Defense site to a company affiliated with Mr Kushner to build the 175-room hotel, retail space and more than 1,500 residential units in three separate towers. The approved plan includes a 99-year lease and a memorial complex to those injured or killed during the NATO bombings," the New York Times said in the report.

"The hotel deal in Serbia is one of several recently announced new outlets of the Trump brand, with other projects disclosed in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam," it also said.