Protesters carry pink flamingo cutouts during a demonstration against plans for a luxury resort linked to Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, on an environmentally sensitive part of the Adriatic coast, in Tirana, Albania, on June 4, 2026. —Atdhe Mulla—Bloomberg/Getty ImagesA planned luxury hospitality development on the Albanian coast backed by President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner is facing major backlash and stirring mass protests in the country. The roughly $1.6 development would involve building hotels, apartments, villas, and a marina in the Narta Lagoon area on the country’s western coast, which is home to a wildlife reserve, as well as on the uninhabited island of Sazan, formerly a communist-era military base.Kushner is the founder and chief executive of the investment firm Affinity Partners, which is behind the plans for the Albanian luxury development. Environmental groups have opposed the project, warning that it threatens a host of long-protected habitats and species, such as the Mediterranean monk seal, the Loggerhead sea turtle, and many endangered bird species, including Dalmatian pelicans and flamingos, according to BirdLife International.Earlier this week, Albania’s anti-corruption prosecution body, SPAK, announced that it has launched a probe regarding the project, including controversial legislative changes made in 2024 that impacted the area’s protected status and how ownership of the land was obtained.Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama, however, has strongly supported the resort as an opportunity to stoke Albania’s rise as a tourist destination. “There is no chance for this investment to stop as long as I am here,” said Rama.Groundwork on the…
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