TIRANA — A massive coastal development project linked to Jared Kushner is facing growing resistance from protesters in Albania. The Albanian government has granted special investor status to an investment firm tied to Kushner, and since late May, heavy machinery has entered the area to clear land, dig into sand dunes, open access routes, and install fencing.
The project is located on the Adriatic coast of southern Albania, encompassing the Narta Lagoon and the uninhabited island of Sazan. The planned development includes hotels, apartments, villas, and a marina. The Narta Lagoon is a designated wildlife reserve and among Albania’s most valuable biodiversity areas, serving as a key stopover for migratory birds along the Adriatic coast.
Environmental groups from Albania and other parts of Europe have condemned the construction work. Public opposition intensified after video circulated showing an activist being dragged by a private security guard during a demonstration at the site. In Tirana, protesters have carried cardboard cut-outs of pink flamingos, a protected migratory bird species, during rallies.
Albania’s state anti-corruption agency has confirmed it opened an investigation related to the project, though it has not disclosed details. Competing claims have emerged questioning the privatization of the land, a common type of legal dispute in Albania. Officials maintain the land earmarked for the project is privately owned.
Prime Minister Edi Rama has strongly defended the initiative. "Albania should not be a country that fears an extraordinary project like this one, where exceptional partners have come together to invest 4 billion euros ($4.6 billion)." Rama said. "There is no chance for this investment to stop as long as I am here."
The project is also linked to Ivanka Trump. "We were on a friend’s boat, and we stopped for a swim. Effectively, that’s how we found it," Trump said. "We swam to the island. We went on a hike, barefoot all the way up to the top, and we were just captivated."