Thousands protest in Albania over Kushner tourism project
Al Mayadeen | June 5, 2026
Thousands of people took to the streets of Tirana on Thursday for a fourth consecutive day of protests against a controversial coastal tourism project reportedly linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump.
Demonstrators gathered in the Albanian capital carrying banners demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama, while others displayed images depicting Rama handing keys to Ivanka Trump, Kushner’s wife, and the US president’s daughter.
The protests center on a proposed $1.2 billion tourism development in the protected Vjosa-Narta area along Albania’s southern coast. Opponents argue that the project, which includes plans for luxury hotels and tourism infrastructure, would cause significant environmental damage to one of the country’s most sensitive ecosystems.
According to the development plan presented two years ago, Kushner intended to transform Sazan Island, a former secret communist-era military base, into a high-end tourist destination. The proposal also included the construction of a luxury hotel in the Vjosa-Narta area, with an estimated project value of around 1.4 billion euros ($1.2 billion).
Protesters demand legal changes
Public anger intensified after footage emerged showing bulldozers and preparatory construction work near the protected area, while reports circulated of security guards assaulting a man close to the project site.
Protesters are demanding the repeal of Albania’s Strategic Investor Act, which facilitates major investment projects, as well as amendments to the Protected Areas Act that permit tourism developments within conservation zones.
Albania currently designates approximately 22% of its territory as protected land.
Speaking at the demonstration, human rights activist Luciana Kokaj said concerns extended beyond individual property disputes and focused on preserving the country’s natural heritage for future generations.
Another protester, Etleva Merko, rejected government claims that demonstrators oppose economic development, saying protesters support investment but object to construction projects in protected environmental areas and are demanding greater transparency.
The demonstrations come as Albania’s Special Prosecutor’s Office against Corruption and Organized Crime confirmed it had opened an investigation into the project earlier this week, though officials have not disclosed further details.
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