EU pressures Albania over Kushner-backed resort threatening protected wetlands

Jun 9, 2026

The European Union is pressuring Albania over a controversial luxury resort backed by Jared Kushner that threatens the protected Vjosa-Narta wetlands. The project has sparked widespread protests, dubbed the "Flamingo Revolution," and a corruption investigation that has frozen the assets of a Kushner-backed company. Despite this, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama vows to proceed, jeopardizing the country's EU accession bid.

Vjosa-Narta wetland destruction

▪Construction for the resort has involved excavators tearing up beaches and lorries cutting roads through dunes and pine forests in the Vjosa-Narta protected area.
▪The Vjosa delta is described as the last free-flowing river delta in the Mediterranean.
▪The Vjosa-Narta ecosystem is a refuge for over 200 bird species, including flamingos, as well as endangered sea turtles and monk seals.

Kushner-backed resort development

▪The project is backed by Jared Kushner's company, Affinity Partners, and Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump.
▪The development is described as a $1.6 billion luxury tourism project, while a fraud investigation is examining a potential $4 billion valuation.
▪Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law, finalized a deal with Albanian officials to build a luxury resort on Sazan Island and surrounding protected wetlands.

Albanian government denial

▪Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama has stated that his country will press ahead with the luxury resort despite protests over its environmental impact.
▪Prime Minister Edi Rama dismissed reports of environmental destruction as "fake news" and said an environmental impact assessment would be completed.

EU accession implications

▪The European Commission has urged Albania to align with EU environmental legislation, as the resort project could threaten its bid to join the bloc.
▪Albania's potential EU accession by 2030 is dependent on its alignment with the bloc's laws, including environmental regulations.

Public protests in Tirana

▪Demonstrators have held multiple protests in Albania's capital, Tirana, and at the construction site, demanding an end to the project.
▪The protests have expanded into broader opposition against aspects of Prime Minister Edi Rama's 13-year tenure.
▪Following protests, construction bulldozers reportedly pulled back and the Narta lagoon was reconnected to the sea.
▪The protests have been nicknamed the "Flamingo Revolution" because the coastal wetland is a migratory pitstop for the birds.

Corruption investigation proceedings

▪Albania’s Special Prosecution against Corruption and Organised Crime has frozen the assets of the Kushner-backed landholding company.
▪The asset freeze is part of a widening property fraud investigation into the resort scheme.