The development, backed by Kushner’s investment firm Affinity Partners, is planned near the Vjosa‑Narta protected area and the uninhabited island of Sazan, a zone known for wetlands, rich bird habitats and Cold War‑era military sites. Protesters and environmental groups say the project lacks transparency and could damage protected land and biodiversity, while Prime Minister Edi Rama argues it would bring billions in investment, jobs and infrastructure and help modernize Albania’s tourism sector. Demonstrations that began in Tirana have spread to coastal areas around Vjosa‑Narta and Zvërnec, with activists demanding that work be suspended and that any new development plan be drawn up in consultation with scientists, local communities and environmental NGOs.
