Protests escalate in Albania over Kushner-linked tourism project

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - TIRANA — Protests intensified in Albania on Tuesday over a planned tourism development linked to US President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner.

Demonstrators have raised environmental concerns and accused authorities of opening protected areas to large-scale construction projects, media reports said on Tuesday.

The project is planned to be built on several hectares of the protected Vjosa-Narta coastal landscape in Zvërnec and on the uninhabited Adriatic island of Sazan.

Protesters chanted, "Albania belongs to Albanians" while holding placards that read, "Hands off Vjosa-Narta."

"The situation in Narta (Lagoon) is that, in practice, we have a protected area, but above all, our state has allowed construction work to continue without consultation and without transparency," said Klajdi Belo, an activist who attended the demonstration.

Thousands of protesters gathered in the capital Tirana for a second day on Tuesday, marching from Skanderbeg Square to the prime minister's office to oppose plans for a tourism project in the Zvernec area near the coastal city of Vlora, according to local media outlets.

The controversy centers on plans to develop Sazan Island and parts of the nearby Narta-Zvernec wetland and lagoon ecosystem into a luxury tourism destination.

The project is estimated to cost around $4 billion and is said to include approximately 618 acres within the protected coastal ecosystem.

The development is reportedly being pursued by Kushner's investment firm and has received support from the Albanian government.

Environmental groups and local campaigners argue that the project could damage one of Albania's most ecologically sensitive coastal regions and affect properties owned by Greek minority families living in the area.

Tensions escalated during demonstrations held over the weekend at the proposed project site, where scuffles were reported between protesters and private security personnel guarding the area.

Pepper spray used by security personnel affected both demonstrators and police officers.

The security company later announced that some employees involved had been suspended.

The project has also become a political issue, with protesters demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama and accusing his government of facilitating the development through legislative changes adopted in 2024 concerning protected areas.

Rama has defended the initiative, saying the project is proceeding in accordance with legal and environmental requirements.

The Albanian government has promoted luxury tourism investments as part of a broader strategy to attract foreign capital and expand the country's high-end tourism sector.