Albanians protest Kushner-linked coastal resort plan

Thousands of Albanians have rallied in Tirana against a planned luxury coastal tourism complex linked to Jared Kushner, turning environmental concerns over protected wetlands into nightly protests outside Prime Minister Edi Rama’s office.

The proposed development would include hotels on the uninhabited island of Sazan and in the protected Vjosa-Narta coastal area near Zvernec, close to the city of Vlora. The wetlands are home to flamingos, seals and sea turtle nesting sites, and protesters have adopted the pink flamingo as a symbol of their campaign.

Kushner’s investment firm, Affinity Partners, would be among the investors in the project, which Rama’s Socialist government has welcomed. Protesters have demanded the government cancel the plan, chanting “cancel the project” and carrying signs including “Albania is not for sale,” “nation is not for sale” and “I don’t want Albania like Dubai.”

Environmental groups say construction would damage one of Albania’s most sensitive coastal ecosystems. “We want all construction to halt and heavy machines out of the protected area,” said Joni Vorpsi, an ecologist with PPNEA-BirdLife Albania. He said the proposed development “would be a new city with around 10,000 rooms” and would “completely destroy that wild region.”

About 40 environmental organizations called in January for the suspension of the resort plans, citing threats to biodiversity. The protests intensified after a gathering Saturday in Zvernec, where dozens of people, including environmental activists, protested the installation of barbed wire blocking access to the beach. Al Jazeera reported that private security guards attacked and injured several protesters; authorities later suspended several police officers and revoked the licences of two private security companies.

Albania’s special prosecutor’s office to combat corruption and organised crime, known as SPAK, said Tuesday it had opened an investigation into funds used to acquire land titles and sell them to investors. It has not been confirmed that the land surrounded by barbed wire has been bought by Affinity Partners.

The government says the land involved is privately owned and was acquired transparently. Critics have questioned the process, in a country where ownership claims have long been complicated by the privatization that followed decades of Communist-era nationalization.

Rama has defended the project and accused opponents of being “well-meaning” but “misinformed” about its environmental impact. He said the investment would bring jobs and improved infrastructure, and the BBC reported that he described it as a €4 billion project. Al Jazeera reported that Kushner’s earlier plan estimated the Sazan development at 1.4 billion euros, with luxury hotels also planned in Zvernec.

“It is very important that we remain welcoming, that we remain fair, and that under no circumstances do we receive the stigma of being a country where investors are met with hostility,” Rama said in a statement shared with Reuters. “There is absolutely no chance that the investment will stop as long as I am here.”

Rama invited protesters to choose a delegation of about 20 people to discuss possible solutions, but they rejected the proposal. He has also described the protests as part of a “hybrid war” driven by regional competition with Albania’s fast-growing tourism sector.

Kushner’s business partner, Asher Abehsera, said the project is focused on environmental protection as well as economic development. “Our focus remains on responsible stewardship, environmental enhancement, job creation, and creating long-term value for local communities,” he said.

The Albania dispute echoes opposition Kushner faced elsewhere in the Balkans. His plan for a Trump International Hotel in Belgrade drew protests, and he withdrew from that Serbia project earlier this year after the arrest of a government minister for abuse of office in connection with it, the BBC reported.