Mass protests erupt in Albania over $1.6bn Kushner-backed luxury resort on protected coastline

Jun 5, 2026

Mass protests have erupted in Albania over a proposed $1.6B+ luxury resort backed by Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners on a protected coastline. Dubbed the "flamingo revolution," the opposition cites irreversible environmental damage to a wildlife reserve. Prime Minister Edi Rama defends the project, blaming "Trump haters" and a "hybrid war," while the country's anti-corruption agency has launched a probe into the deal.

Kushner-backed Albanian resort project

▪The idea for the resort originated from a 2021 private yacht trip and hike on Sazan island by Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump.
▪The project is estimated to cost between $1.6 billion and $1.98 billion and will include hotels, villas, and a marina.
▪Jared Kushner's investment firm, Affinity Partners, is planning a luxury development on the Albanian coast.
▪The development is planned for the Narta Lagoon area and the formerly uninhabited island of Sazan, a communist-era military base.

Environmental impact on protected wetlands

▪Conservation group PPNEA stated the project's impact is "the worst ever recorded in Albania’s protected areas" and some damage is "already irreversible."
▪The area also hosts rare Mediterranean monk seals and nesting sea turtles.
▪The proposed resort is located in a protected wildlife reserve that is home to over 200 migratory bird species, including flamingos and Dalmatian pelicans.
▪Heavy machinery was seen entering the area in May, and builders began erecting a fence, sparking public outrage.

Mass protests flamingo symbolism

▪Thousands of people have participated in mass protests in Albania's capital, Tirana, against the resort project.
▪Protesters held signs with slogans such as "Albania is not for sale."
▪The protest movement has been dubbed the "flamingo revolution," with demonstrators using the bird as a symbol of opposition.

Albanian government corruption probe

▪Albania's anti-corruption agency, SPAK, has launched an investigation related to the Kushner-backed project.
▪Kushner's firm previously withdrew from a luxury hotel project in Serbia after it sparked protests and corruption charges against four government officials.
▪The SPAK probe is examining 2024 legislative changes that affected the area's protected status and how land ownership was obtained.

Trump-Rama political relationship

▪Jared Kushner developed a relationship with Prime Minister Edi Rama during his time as a senior advisor in the first Trump administration.
▪Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has strongly defended the project, stating "There is no chance for this investment to stop as long as I am here."
▪Rama claimed the opposition is fueled by "Trump haters" and false antisemitic narratives about a deal to relocate Palestinians.
▪Rama alleged the protests are part of a "hybrid war" amplified by bots, fake profiles, and hostile external actors.