Thousands Protest Kushner-Linked $4.6 Billion Albania Resort as Work Advances in Protected Coastal Reserve
Updated
Updated · PBS NewsHour · Jun 9
Thousands Protest Kushner-Linked $4.6 Billion Albania Resort as Work Advances in Protected Coastal Reserve
3 articles · Updated · PBS NewsHour · Jun 9
Summary
Thousands rallied peacefully in Tirana on Saturday against a Jared Kushner-linked luxury resort, after several hundred protested earlier in Zvernec and swimmer Eva Buzo circled the disputed island in a 15-kilometer protest.
Heavy machinery has been working in the Narta Lagoon reserve since late May, opening access routes, digging sand, clearing pine areas and installing fencing in a key migratory-bird habitat.
Environmental groups say the project threatens protected biodiversity and may be irreversibly damaging long-preserved coastline, while critics also question how the land was privatized and allocated.
Prime Minister Edi Rama has backed the development as part of Albania's push for high-end tourism and EU ambitions, saying the 4 billion euro project will not be stopped while he is in office.
Albania's anti-corruption agency has opened an investigation, and the dispute has drawn added scrutiny after Kushner withdrew from a similar Serbia project that later triggered criminal charges.
After a similar Kushner-linked project in Serbia failed, what makes Albania's controversial coastal development different?
Can Albania's 'Flamingo Revolution' stop a billion-dollar resort from being built on a protected nature reserve?
Albania’s €5 Billion Kushner Resort Controversy: Protests, Corruption Probes, and EU Accession at Risk
Overview
In June 2026, Albania faces mounting protests over a controversial luxury resort project led by Jared Kushner’s investment firm, Affinity Partners. Despite public outcry and concerns about environmental impact near the Vjosa-Narta protected area, Prime Minister Edi Rama has firmly defended the development, declaring it will proceed as planned. The project, valued at €1.4 billion, has become a flashpoint for debates on governance, environmental protection, and Albania’s aspirations for European Union membership. The government’s unwavering support, amid ongoing investigations and widespread opposition, highlights deep divisions over the country’s future direction and international reputation.