Albanians Mount 200,000-Strong Protests Against Kushner Resort as Corruption Anger Spreads
Updated
Updated · Vox.com · Jul 7
Albanians Mount 200,000-Strong Protests Against Kushner Resort as Corruption Anger Spreads
3 articles · Updated · Vox.com · Jul 7
Summary
Up to 200,000 Albanians have joined daily protests over a Kushner- and Ivanka Trump-backed luxury resort plan, in what observers describe as the country’s biggest civic demonstrations since the early 1990s.
Construction activity on Sazan Island and near the Vjosa-Narta Protected Landscape helped ignite the movement after 2024 legal changes critics say opened protected areas to luxury tourism development.
The project includes a resort on Sazan and another with up to 10,000 tourist accommodations in habitat used by monk seals, flamingos, sea turtles and migratory birds.
Prime Minister Edi Rama has backed the development, but protesters say the dispute reflects broader anger over corruption, weak accountability and an economic model favoring elites and foreign investors over ordinary Albanians.
With the EU demanding a halt, will Albania choose its environmental heritage over a controversial luxury resort deal?
Will Albania's largest protests since communism expose corruption linking elites to the destruction of protected nature reserves?
Albania’s €4 Billion Kushner-Trump Resort Sparks “Flamingo Revolution”: Protests, Corruption Allegations, and EU Accession Risks
Overview
The luxury resort project in Albania, involving a coastal resort in the Narta Lagoon and a smaller one on Sazan island, has become a major source of national debate and international attention. Backed by an investment firm linked to Jared Kushner and financed by Qatari businessmen, the project includes hotels, villas, and a marina. Albanian authorities granted it special investor status, while project representatives claim it will benefit local communities and the environment. However, the development has sparked widespread protests and scrutiny, highlighting concerns over environmental impact, government transparency, and the influence of powerful investors.