‘Albania could lose opportunity at EU membership due to Trump’s megalomaniacal project’

©picture alliance / NurPhoto | Vlasov Sulaj

The protests in Albania have been going on for more than twenty days. Angry demonstrators have taken to the streets carrying signs featuring flamingos to oppose plans for a so-called Trump resort, but the underlying discontent extends beyond this single project. The planned luxury resorts by Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, the U.S. president’s daughter and son-in-law, are set to be built in a protected nature reserve known as a habitat for flamingos. The European Union is also viewing the plans with concern: according to Brussels, proceeding with construction could affect Albania’s chances of joining the EU.

Is Albania squandering its chance to join the EU because of this Trump project?

Albania has wanted to join the European Union for years, but persistent corruption remains a major obstacle. According to the Corruption Perceptions Index, the country is still considered as one of the most corrupt in Europe. To tackle this problem, a special anti-corruption prosecutor was appointed in 2016. Operating with EU support, the prosecutor has already forced several high-ranking political figures to resign; some have even ended up behind bars. Investigations are currently underway involving two deputy prime ministers. Now, that same prosecutor is also turning his attention towards the Trump project. Recently, the law protecting nature reserves was amended. As a result, the construction of five-star hotels is now permitted, even in the middle of protected areas, says conservationist Joni Vospri in the international press.

Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump’s husband, plans to build a luxury resort on an uninhabited Albanian island. Trump’s son-in-law wants to establish a vacation resort in a nature reserve. The entire project will cost about $6 billion (€5.16 billion). Everything seems to be a done deal, but many Albanians are unhappy with Trump’s son-in-law’s plans; they have taken to the streets and have been protesting for three weeks against the construction of the luxury resort off the Albanian coast.

Just last weekend, protesters marched en masse through the center of the capital, Tirana, and gathered in front of the government building. There, they demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama. According to the protesters, Rama is prioritizing foreign investors over the country’s interests.

The U.S. president’s son-in-law wants to transform an uninhabited Albanian island into a luxury resort with as many as 10,000 hotel rooms. Many protesters, however, fear irreversible damage to a nature reserve that is home to flamingos, among other species. The Albanian government, on the other hand, emphasizes the opportunities Trump family’s project creates for the tourism industry.

Habitat of vulnerable species

A major construction project on the Albanian island of Sazan and the coastal area opposite it is sparking fierce protests. The plan for the protected nature reserve across from the island, in particular, is facing significant opposition because it's home to vulnerable species such as the Mediterranean monk seal and the flamingo.

The lagoon is an important habitat for migratory birds, including flamingos. According to the environmental organization PPNEA, it's even one of the most important biodiversity zones in the Mediterranean.

The unrest intensified after the area was cordoned off with fences and barbed wire. Local residents rose in opposition, and a video showing a protester being dragged away by security guards sparked protests in the capital, Tirana, as well. Environmental organizations complain of a total lack of transparency and argue that neither nature nor the local population has been taken into account.

The project is being developed by the company of Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law. Together with his partners at Sazan, he plans to build a luxury resort with approximately 10,000 hotel rooms. According to critics, this does not fit with the character of the area, which up until now has remained largely untouched and is officially protected. Sazan is strategically located near the city of Vlorë and was off-limits to visitors, although tourists are now allowed to visit.

Corruption?

However, the controversy extends beyond nature conservation alone. Many protesters suspect that corruption may also be involved, as a law was amended in 2024 to allow construction in protected areas. This controversial construction project was then announced that same year. The Albanian anti-corruption agency SPAK is now investigating both the legislative change and the source of the investments used to purchase the area.

Prime Minister sees opportunities in luxury tourism

Prime Minister Edi Rama continues to defend the plan and sees it as an opportunity to put Albania more firmly on the map as a tourist destination. According to him, nature and development do not have to be mutually exclusive. He emphasizes that his country needs foreign investment and that luxury tourism can play an important role in this.

Protests continue

Meanwhile, the protests continue. Demonstrators are demanding protection for the area, an end to the project, and in some cases even the prime minister’s resignation. Following violent clashes between security guards and activists, arrests have already been made and the licenses of security companies have been revoked. The debate over Sazan has evolved into a broader discussion about nature, power, transparency, and the cost of tourism development in Albania.

©picture alliance / NurPhoto | Vlasov Sulaj