Protests in Albania against Trump son-in-law’s tourism project

According to media reports, Kushner and his wife Ivanka have visited Albania several times. They therefore want to build luxury resorts in the coastal village of Zvërnec on the Narta Lagoon in the south of the country and on the small island of Sazan. Five-star hotels with a total of 10,000 rooms are to be built on an area of ​​over 1,400 hectares, as well as villas, apartments, pools and marinas. Media close to the government recently reported an investment sum of four billion dollars – initially there was talk of 1.4 billion.

Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama supports the project. In his opinion, the project will help lead the country into the “Champions League of Tourism”. However, it is primarily environmentalists and the local population who are resisting the megaproject. They accuse the project operators and the government of brushing aside the consequences for the environment, even though large parts of the coast are designated as a nature reserve. The Narta Lagoon is an ecologically important wetland: it provides a vital refuge for hundreds of bird species – such as flamingos and the endangered Dalmatian pelican. The region is also a habitat for seals and an important nesting site for sea turtles.

Investigations into allegations of corruption

At the same time, the project is also overshadowed by allegations of corruption. The Albanian Special Prosecutor’s Office for the Fight against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) has therefore also become involved. According to recent reports, assets of companies linked to the project have been frozen as part of an investigation into possible irregularities in ownership and development processes in the area.

Recently, resistance has grown considerably: last weekend, thousands of people gathered on the beach in Zvërnec after developers had blocked off a large part of the coastal strip with barbed wire. Employees of a private security service used violence against the demonstrators, throwing stones at them and dragging one person away. There were injuries, including a member of the Greek minority in the region. This resulted in an official reaction from Greece’s Foreign Ministry. Athens called for a full investigation into the incident and the protection of minority rights and nature in Albania.

The Greek minority is the largest recognized ethnic minority in Albania. It is particularly present in southern Albania in and around the cities of Saranda and Gjirokastra. While official Albanian statistics put the number at around 66,000 relatives, Greek interest groups estimate the number to be significantly higher.