Key facts
- The EU has warned Albania to halt a resort project linked to Jared Kushner.
- The project is cited for potential environmental violations and risks to Albania's EU membership bid.
- Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama stated the country will proceed with the development.
- Protests in Albania are seen as a broader revolt against the political system and foreign influence.
- Jared Kushner's past comments on Gaza's waterfront potential and his family's funding of Israeli settlements are highlighted.
- Sazan island, the project's location, is a former military zone with strategic importance.
The European Union has issued a warning to Albania, urging the country to halt a luxury resort project linked to Jared Kushner, former US President Donald Trump's son-in-law. The EU cited concerns that the project may violate environmental standards and could jeopardize Albania's aspirations to join the bloc.
Despite these warnings and environmental concerns, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has stated that the country will proceed with the Kushner-backed resort development. Protests have erupted in Albania, with demonstrators framing their opposition not just as a reaction to the resort project itself, but as a broader revolt against the existing political system and perceived foreign influence.
The reporting highlights the narrative presented by Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner regarding their discovery of Sazan island, the project's location, contrasting it with the reality that the island is part of Albania and belongs to its people. The article also draws parallels between Kushner's past public discussions of Gaza's waterfront potential, using terms like 'cleaned up' amidst conflict, and the current development plans for Sazan island, a former military zone with strategic significance.
Further context is provided regarding Kushner's family's financial support for Israeli settlement organizations and his close ties to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The article notes that Kushner first explored the development project on Sazan island in 2021 during a meeting aboard a yacht owned by Nat Rothschild, alongside the Albanian prime minister, underscoring the informal nature of these high-level discussions.