Protests over a proposed Albania luxury resort linked to Jared Kushner continued as prosecutors examine changes to a protected coastal wetland.
Protests against a proposed luxury resort on Albania’s coast linked to Jared Kushner entered a second day Tuesday, intensifying scrutiny of a project already facing an anti-corruption investigation and long-running environmental objections.
The dispute centers on the Vjosa-Narta protected landscape near Zvërnec, a coastal wetland area where environmental groups have warned that large-scale development could damage biodiversity and disrupt bird migration routes. Fox News, citing Politico, reported that Albania’s special anti-corruption prosecution office, SPAK, is investigating changes made to the area’s protected status.
The site has drawn attention because of its ecological sensitivity and because Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, publicly discussed plans in 2024 for his investment firm, Affinity Partners, to develop luxury tourism projects in Albania, including in the Zvërnec area. He visited the area earlier this year with his wife, Ivanka Trump.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has confirmed that talks with Kushner over the deal are ongoing, according to Fox News. The project is expected to include roughly 10,000 hotel rooms and villas.
“I want to make Albania a country that is a destination to be envied in the region, and this project is part of this effort,” Rama said Monday.
The wetland area is home to flamingos, Mediterranean monk seals and sea turtle nesting sites, Fox News reported, citing Politico. Environmental NGOs have raised concerns that the proposed resort could threaten the area’s biodiversity, adding to broader questions over how Albania balances tourism development with conservation in protected coastal zones.
Public opposition escalated after large fences topped with barbed wire were erected at the proposed site in May, blocking access to the beach for locals and tourists, according to Fox News. Protesters gathered outside government offices Sunday to demand an end to the project and Rama’s resignation.
After Sunday’s demonstration, footage emerged showing private security guards appearing to assault and drag a protester along a cliff, Fox News reported. Some guards were also accused of threatening demonstrators who were trying to remove fencing and stop construction activity.
Authorities revoked the licenses of two private security companies after the incident. Around 15 protesters have been charged, and the local police chief has been stripped of his duties, according to the report.
Fox News said it had reached out to Affinity Partners and SPAK for comment. The immediate questions now are how far the anti-corruption probe will go, whether the site work will continue, and how Albanian authorities will respond if protests keep growing around one of the country’s most closely watched tourism projects.
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