Albanians protest against Kushner-backed project threatening the environment
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Fri, 06/05/2026 - 16:10
Trump's son-in-law is key investor in luxury resort on uninhabited island which campaigners say threaten bird species and local biodiversity
Protesters gather in front of Albania's prime minister's office in Tirana on 4 June 2026 during the fourth day of demonstrations against the construction of a new luxury resort (AFP/Stringer)
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Widespread protests in Albania over the proposed building of a luxury resort backed by Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump's son-in-law and special envoy, have entered a fourth day.
Thousands have been taking to the streets of Tirana this week to protest against fears of environmental damage being caused by the project.
The proposed site is being constructed on Albania's Adriatic coast, south of the country, where groundwork for the $1.6bn project began recently. It includes the uninhabited Sazan island, as well as wetlands and coastal habitats surrounding it.
One of the key investors of the resort is Kushner's Affinity Partners.
In an interview this week, Kushner's wife Ivanka Trump, the daughter of the US president, said she and Kushner "found" the uninhabited island during a trip there.
"We were on a friend's boat, and we stopped for a swim. Effectively, that's how we found it," she said.
"We swam to the island. We went on a hike, barefoot all the way up to the top, and we were just captivated."
The demonstrations in Albania have been directed at Affinity Partners, but also at Prime Minister Edi Rama and his Socialist Party government - who have been big cheerleaders for the project.
For Rama, the project is part of a continuation of Albania's transformation into a top tourist destination. He has said that the project would bring in $4.6bn of investment into the country, with jobs and improved infrastructure.
However, more than 40 environmental groups have written to the government demanding a suspension of the project.
They said that the site is a valuable area for biodiversity, and a site where migratory birds stop over along the Adriatic coast.
Many of the protesters at the rallies this week have held up cut outs of pink flamingos to make a point about the threat to certain bird species.
The waters near the island are one of the last refuges for the Mediterranean monk seal. Flamingos and Dalmatian pelicans are also among over 200 bird species that shelter in the area.
"From start to finish there has been a total lack of transparency," Aleksandr Trajce, executive director of the country's leading conservation group, the Protection and Preservation of the Natural Environment in Albania (PPNEA), told the Guardian.
"We have seen no public consultation or public documentation regarding permits, and so now what we are saying is, if they remove the bulldozers, remove the fence and restore the habitats to what they were, then we can start talking."
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Rama said on Tuesday that he was willing to meet with protesters to resolve the situation.
But he also added that there was "absolutely no chance that the investment will stop as long as I am here".
Rama won a fourth term in 2025, and has vowed to bring investment into the country, and to get Albania into the European Union.
Developers responsible for the project have defended it.
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"Our focus remains on responsible stewardship, environmental enhancement, job creation and creating long-term value for local communities. We respect the ongoing public and institutional processes," said Asher Abehsera, the head of Sazan Real Estate Development LLC, which is developing the project alongside Affinity Partners.
This is not the first time Kushner has faced trouble with projects in the Balkans.
He had planned to build a Trump International Hotel in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, despite fierce opposition to it.
Kushner eventually withdrew earlier this year after a Serbian government minister was arrested for abuse of office in connection with the project.
Elsewhere, Kushner announced plans this year for a "New Gaza" - complete with shiny skyscrapers, coastal tourist attractions and entire districts dedicated to business and commerce.
Analysts told Middle East Eye that the plan was another example of corporations and individuals attempting to profit from war and genocide.
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