Updated
Updated · POLITICO Europe · Jun 7
EU Warns Albania Kushner-Linked Resort Could Jeopardize Chapter 27 Accession
Updated
Updated · POLITICO Europe · Jun 7

EU Warns Albania Kushner-Linked Resort Could Jeopardize Chapter 27 Accession

1 articles · Updated · POLITICO Europe · Jun 7

Summary

  • Seven days of nationwide protests pushed Albania’s planned luxury resort on its southern coast into a broader EU accession dispute, with Brussels warning the project could derail progress in membership talks.
  • The European Commission said any move that breaches EU environmental rules could prevent Albania from closing Chapter 27 — the green chapter covering environment and climate policy.
  • Protesters are demanding the cancellation of the Jared Kushner-linked development, arguing it endangers a protected coastal habitat used by flamingos, seals and turtle nesting sites.
  • The warning raises the stakes beyond a domestic planning fight, tying the project directly to Albania’s long-running bid to join the European Union.

Insights

Does this coastal development dispute reveal a critical weakness in the EU's entire enlargement strategy for the Balkans?
As protesters chant 'Albania is not for sale,' whose vision for the country's future will ultimately prevail?