Protests in Tirana: Thousands of Albanians demonstrate against Jared Kushner's luxury resort project

Background of the construction project

The protesters are mobilizing via social networks under the slogan "Albania is not for sale." They demand both the withdrawal of the project and Rama's resignation. Demonstrations had already taken place the day before. In addition to environmental associations, citizen initiatives from the affected coastal communities are also participating.

According to Balkaninsight, the company "Zvernec South Adriatic Development," registered in the Netherlands, is behind the project. The network behind the company reportedly includes a businessman of Italian origin, a former judge who resigned to avoid an investigation into the origin of his assets, and individuals with ties to the oligarch Shefqet Kastrati. The report also states that parts of the intended construction areas have unclear ownership status and that legal proceedings are still pending.

The Albanian government under Rama had granted the project "strategic investor" status, which allows for accelerated approval processes. The Spatial Planning Council, led by Rama, granted the corresponding approval. The planned resort complex on Sazan is to cost 1.4 billion euros and cover 45 hectares, according to the available information.

Environmental concerns and criticism

Kushner had already expressed interest in Sazan through his company Affinity Partners in 2024. In January 2026, he traveled to the Albanian coast with his wife Ivanka Trump. In the spring of 2026, part of the area at Narta Lagoon was fenced off, and private security firms were hired to guard it. According to reports, masked men, presumably members of private security services, attacked demonstrators at Narta Lagoon. In one documented case, a demonstrator was led away by private security personnel in broad daylight without police intervention.

Environmental organizations warn of permanent damage to the nature reserve. Flamingos live in the Narta Lagoon, the endangered Mediterranean monk seal uses the area, and pygmy cormorants, Audouin's gulls, and Kentish plovers also breed there; sea turtles lay their eggs in the dunes. Additionally, an Orthodox monastery is located in the affected area. Furthermore, the construction of an airport in Vlora is causing criticism, which could further intensify mass tourism and environmental destruction.

Government reaction

Prime Minister Rama rejected the demand to halt the project. He told CNN that the project would not be canceled. Rama spoke of an attack on Albania by foreign influences and competitors and described a "media war" waged by newsrooms whose line was against the incumbent Republican administration in Washington. Rama also claimed that his government was being drawn into "hybrid warfare."

At the same time, Rama stated that a broad group of investors "of the highest standing" was behind the project, not just Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. He pointed out that the primary focus at present was on an environmental impact assessment. In this context, Rama said: "The challenge is not to pour concrete on flamingos' heads."

The resistance to the resort plans falls within a period of growing concern for the Albanian Adriatic coast. Critics see the project as a symbol of a development that endangers the environment, local economy, and cultural heritage alike. The ongoing protests present the Rama government with its biggest domestic political challenge to date concerning large foreign investments.

The article was written by Adelheid Wölfl on June 4, 2026, and broadcast on Deutschlandfunk news. Further developments depend, among other things, on the outcome of ongoing court proceedings regarding the ownership of the affected areas and the result of the environmental impact assessment.