Key facts
- Thousands of Albanians are protesting a planned luxury resort development by Jared Kushner's firm in the Vjosa-Narta Lagoon, a protected wetland.
- The European Commission has warned Albania that the project could jeopardize its EU membership bid due to environmental rule compliance issues.
- The Vjosa-Narta Lagoon is a protected area home to over 200 bird species and endangered wildlife.
- Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has defended the project, calling the protests misleading and suggesting Iranian involvement.
- Protesters argue the development will damage the local environment and have called for Rama's resignation.
Thousands of Albanians have protested against a planned luxury resort development backed by Jared Kushner's investment firm, Affinity Partners, in the ecologically sensitive Vjosa-Narta Lagoon. The development, estimated to cost $4 billion, is situated in a protected wetland area known for its biodiversity, including over 200 migratory bird species and endangered wildlife.
Protesters argue that the resort plans will severely damage the local environment and have voiced concerns about potential government favoritism towards investors. Demonstrations have been ongoing for nearly two weeks, with participants chanting slogans like "Albania is not for sale" and carrying inflatable flamingos to highlight the environmental risks.
The European Commission has issued a warning to Albania, stating that the country must comply with EU environmental rules to avoid jeopardizing its bid to join the bloc. Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier urged Albanian authorities to act without delay to prevent actions that could undermine the closing benchmark for Chapter 27 (environment).
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has defended the project, describing it as transformational for the nation's tourism sector and dismissing environmental concerns as misleading. He has also suggested that the protests and associated media attention are being influenced by a hybrid war against Albania, specifically naming Iran as a malicious actor involved in the situation. Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson rejected Rama's claims.