Protests Erupt in Albania Over Jared Kushner-Linked Coastal Mega Project

Tirana: A large-scale coastal development project associated with Jared Kushner is facing increasing opposition in Albania, where protesters clashed with police during demonstrations in the capital, Tirana.

According to reports, police used water cannons on Wednesday as tensions escalated between authorities and demonstrators opposing the proposed luxury development along the country’s Adriatic coastline.

The project, which has been presented by the government as a transformative investment aimed at boosting high-end tourism and supporting Albania’s bid for European Union membership, includes plans for hotels, villas, apartments, and a marina. It spans an area covering an abandoned island and a nearby coastal zone in southern Albania.

However, the venture has drawn strong criticism from environmental activists and opponents of long-time Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama, who argue that the development threatens ecologically sensitive areas, including the Narta Lagoon wildlife reserve.

The project’s island component involves the uninhabited former military base of Sazan Island, a site with historical significance dating back to the communist era.

The investment is linked to a firm associated with Kushner, while Ivanka Trump has publicly described how the location was discovered during a visit to the area.

“We were on a friend’s boat, and we stopped for a swim… We swam to the island… and we were just captivated,” she said in a recent interview.

Authorities have granted the project special investor status, but opposition groups continue to stage protests, warning that rapid coastal development could harm biodiversity and local communities.

The situation highlights growing tensions in Albania between ambitious foreign-backed development plans and domestic concerns over environmental protection and land use policy.