Thousands of people have flooded the streets across Albania to protest against a major coastal development project linked to Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump. The demonstrations, among the largest seen so far, come as opposition builds against plans to construct luxury resorts along the country’s Adriatic coastline.In the capital Tirana, thousands gathered peacefully on Saturday evening. Earlier the same day, several hundred people also protested in Zvernec. Adding to the demonstrations, Albanian Australian swimmer Eva Buzo swam 15 kilometres (9 miles) around the disputed island, protesting against development plans in the protected area.The government says the project would be a major boost for Albania, helping it transform into a high-end tourism destination while also supporting its goal of joining the European Union.But the scheme, set across an abandoned island and a stretch of coastline in southern Albania, has triggered strong opposition from environmental groups and critics of long-time Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama.
Breaking down the project
The development plan includes two parts: a coastal project in the Narta Lagoon, which is a wildlife reserve, and a separate resort on the uninhabited island of Sazan, a former military base from the communist era.It is linked to Kushner and Ivanka Trump, daughter of Donald Trump, and includes plans for hotels, villas, apartments and a marina.Speaking in an interview with US podcaster David Senra, Ivanka Trump said that the couple came across the location by chance.An investment firm connected to Kushner has been given special investor status by Albanian authorities.Albania’s 450-kilometre (280-mile) coastline remained largely undeveloped during decades of communist rule, when strict controls limited construction and tourism.
Why are Albanians protesting?
Protest groups fear parts of this untouched coastline could be handed over to powerful investors. Anger has grown further after videos showed an activist being dragged by a private security guard during a protest at the site.The project lies within a nature reserve, considered one of Albania’s key biodiversity zones and an important stopover for migratory birds along the Adriatic route.In protests in Tirana, demonstrators have held cardboard cut-outs of pink flamingos, a protected species in the area.Since late May, heavy machinery including excavators has entered the site, opening access roads, digging into sandy areas, clearing pine trees and putting up fences.Environmental groups in Albania and across Europe have strongly criticised the work, saying long-protected habitats are being “irreversibly destroyed.”
The project has also come under scrutiny from Albania’s state anti-corruption agency, which has confirmed it has opened an investigation, though details have not been released.
Government continues to defend
The government insists the land is privately owned, but there are competing claims over its status, with disputes over ownership still ongoing.Prime Minister Edi Rama has strongly defended the project, saying it fits Albania’s ambition to become a major global tourism hub.“Albania should not be a country that fears an extraordinary project like this one, where exceptional partners have come together to invest 4 billion euros ($4.6 billion),” Rama said.He added: “There is no chance for this investment to stop as long as I am here.”However, the controversy has drawn comparisons with a similar project in Serbia that later collapsed amid legal trouble. In November, Serbia’s Parliament passed a special law to allow a luxury complex in Belgrade linked to Kushner’s investment firm.Soon after, prosecutors charged four people, including a government minister, with abuse of office and document falsification tied to the project.Kushner later withdrew from the multimillion-dollar plan, which was set to replace a bombed-out military complex previously protected as a heritage site until its status was changed by officials now under trial.