MEPs Warn Albania’s €1.4bn Kushner Resort Could Derail EU Bid by 2030
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jul 1
MEPs Warn Albania’s €1.4bn Kushner Resort Could Derail EU Bid by 2030
1 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jul 1
Summary
Tineke Strik said Albania is “playing with fire” by pushing a €1.4bn Jared Kushner-backed resort, warning the project could disrupt EU accession talks if the government refuses to change course.
Chapter 27 of the negotiations is especially at risk because the planned build on Sazan island and the Zvërnec peninsula would hit protected coastal areas and, Strik said, already breaches EU environmental directives.
A four-day European Parliament mission found forest and dune destruction and a 7km gravel road already built in Zvërnec, while also raising concerns over alleged corruption, opaque permits and land sales.
The dispute has fueled daily protests dubbed the “flamingo revolution,” broadening from environmental opposition into demands for rule of law and Prime Minister Edi Rama’s resignation.
That pressure threatens Rama’s timetable to finish accession talks by 2027 and join the 27-member bloc by 2030, despite EU membership still commanding about 92% public support in Albania.
Will a luxury resort derail Albania's 30-year dream of joining the European Union?
Can Albania's 'flamingo revolution' save a protected coastline from a billion-euro development?
Kushner-Backed Luxury Resort in Albania Triggers National Protests, EU Environmental Clash, and Puts EU Membership at Risk
Overview
A luxury resort project on Albania’s coast, backed by Jared Kushner, has sparked mass protests and fierce national debate. While Prime Minister Edi Rama insists the development is vital for Albania’s transformation into a high-end tourist destination and refuses to halt the project, demonstrators see it as a symbol of deeper political and economic problems rooted in the country’s post-socialist transition. Protesters demand Rama’s resignation and a new development model, challenging both the specific coastal project and the broader system that prioritizes foreign interests over national priorities. The government’s firm stance has only intensified public unrest.