TIRANA, Albania — A proposed $1.4 billion luxury resort development linked to Jared Kushner has become the center of one of Albania’s most visible political and environmental battles, with protesters taking to the streets for a seventh consecutive day as the government insists the project will move forward.

The dispute centers on Sazan Island, a largely undeveloped island in the Adriatic Sea that was once used as a secret military installation during Albania’s communist era. Plans backed by a company affiliated with Affinity Partners, Kushner’s private investment firm, would transform the island and nearby coastal areas into a luxury tourism destination featuring hotels, villas, restaurants, and a marina. Aman Resorts is expected to manage the flagship property.

Despite mounting opposition, Prime Minister Edi Rama said in remarks reported by Reuters that the investment will not be halted while he remains in office.

The project has become a test case for Albania’s efforts to attract major foreign investment while balancing environmental concerns and public opposition.

For the government, the economic argument is straightforward.

Tourism has emerged as one of Albania’s fastest-growing industries, helping fuel economic growth in one of Europe’s lower-income nations. Officials view the Sazan project as an opportunity to elevate Albania’s profile among high-end international travelers and compete more directly with luxury destinations across the Mediterranean.

When Albania’s Strategic Investment Committee granted the project “strategic investor” status in December 2024, officials cited a planned investment of approximately €1.4 billion and projected the development would create roughly 1,000 jobs during construction and operation.

The designation provides expedited permitting and other incentives designed to accelerate major investments.

Project developers say the resort would generate long-term economic benefits while protecting the surrounding environment.

Asher Abehsera, Chief Executive Officer of Sazan Real Estate Development LLC, told CBS News that the company intends to create a world-class destination while focusing on environmental stewardship, job creation, and lasting value for local communities.

He said the company respects the legal and public review processes and remains prepared to move forward as those processes continue.

Opponents see the project very differently.

Environmental activists have organized demonstrations under the banner of the “Flamingo Revolution,” a reference to the flamingo populations that inhabit nearby protected wetlands.

The protests intensified after construction equipment reportedly began arriving at portions of the site last month. Images and videos circulating on social media, including footage showing an activist being removed from a demonstration, helped draw larger crowds into the streets of Tirana.

Conservation groups argue the development threatens environmentally sensitive habitats that support flamingos, loggerhead sea turtles, and the endangered Mediterranean monk seal.

Critics also contend that the approval process lacked transparency.

Aleksandr Trajce, executive director of environmental organization PPNEA, told CBS News that local residents were never given meaningful public consultation before work began.

According to the group, many residents first learned of the development only after machinery appeared at the site and work had already started.

Environmental advocates further allege that portions of protected dunes have been damaged and that at least one sea turtle nesting area may have been destroyed.

The controversy has now expanded beyond environmental concerns into legal and political territory.

Earlier this week, SPAK, Albania’s anti-corruption prosecution office, opened an investigation into aspects of the project, including land transactions connected to the development and legislative changes approved in 2024 that reduced certain environmental protections in the area.

The investigation arrives during a period of heightened scrutiny of Albania’s government amid separate corruption allegations involving senior officials.

The project’s connection to Kushner has added another layer of attention.

Kushner, the founder of Affinity Partners, is married to Ivanka Trump, daughter of President Donald Trump. The couple has publicly discussed their interest in the island, with Ivanka Trump recently describing on the “Founders” podcast how they discovered Sazan while sailing and became captivated by its natural beauty and development potential.

That connection has fueled criticism from opponents, some of whom have carried banners reading “Albania Is Not For Sale.”

For now, neither side appears willing to compromise.

Supporters see the development as a transformational investment capable of generating jobs, expanding tourism, and attracting international capital. Opponents argue that the environmental and public costs are too high and that the approval process has lacked transparency.

With prosecutors now reviewing elements of the project and demonstrations continuing across the country, the future of one of the largest proposed tourism investments in Albania’s history may ultimately be decided in courtrooms as much as on construction sites.

JBizNews Desk — Europe

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