TIRANA (VINnews) — Supporters of a major luxury resort development linked to Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump hailed its potential to transform Albania’s tourism sector and create thousands of jobs, even as small-scale protests entered their seventh day on Saturday.

The billion-dollar-plus project, involving Kushner’s Affinity Partners investment firm, envisions high-end hotels, villas, a marina and recreational facilities on the uninhabited Sazan Island — a former communist-era military base — and along a stretch of the southern coast near the Narta Lagoon area. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has strongly backed the initiative, describing it as a strategic investment that will drive economic growth and position Albania as a premium Mediterranean destination.

Kushner and Trump visited the scenic site during a barefoot hike, drawn to its natural beauty and untapped potential. The development aims to include eco-friendly elements and the adaptive reuse of historic structures, according to project details.

Opponents, organized under the banner of the so-called “Flamingo Revolution,” have adopted the pink bird — native to the region’s wetlands — as a symbol, claiming the project threatens local wildlife habitats. Demonstrations in Tirana have drawn crowds voicing environmental concerns, with some carrying flamingo cutouts.

However, Rama and project advocates have dismissed many of the protests as politically motivated, pointing out that the government conducted necessary reviews and that the resort will include safeguards for the environment while delivering significant benefits to local communities. Rama has emphasized that similar developments have succeeded elsewhere without the predicted harm, and he vowed to proceed for the sake of Albania’s future prosperity.

Kushner, a longtime real estate developer and former senior White House advisor known for brokering the historic Abraham Accords, has a track record of pursuing visionary projects that foster international partnerships and economic opportunity. The Albania initiative aligns with broader efforts to attract Gulf and other foreign investment to the Balkans.

As of Saturday, protests remained limited in scale compared to the widespread public interest in the jobs and tourism revenue the resort is expected to generate. Albanian officials expressed confidence that the project would move forward, bringing modern infrastructure and global attention to the country.

VINnews will continue to monitor developments.