What to know about the growing opposition to an Albanian resort linked to the Trump family

By — Zana Cimili, Associated Press Zana Cimili, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/what-to-know-about-the-growing-opposition-to-an-albanian-resort-linked-to-the-trump-family Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter What to know about the growing opposition to an Albanian resort linked to the Trump family World Jun 9, 2026 2:52 PM EDT TIRANA, Albania (AP) — A massive coastal development project linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, is facing growing resistance from protesters in Albania. Thousands protested peacefully in the Albanian capital Saturday evening, in one of the largest protests so far. Earlier in the day, several hundred people demonstrated in the town of Zvernec, while Albanian Australian swimmer Eva Buzo swam 15 kilometers (9 miles) around the disputed island to protest plans to develop the protected area. The government says the development on the Adriatic coast would be transformational for the former communist nation as it seeks to enter the high-end tourism market and pushes for European Union membership. But the venture, spanning an abandoned island and a nearby stretch of seafront on Albania's southern coast, has drawn opposition from environmental campaigners and critics of longtime Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama. Kushner and Ivanka Trump found the site on a barefoot hike The luxury project has two components: a coastal development in the Narta Lagoon area, which is a wildlife reserve, and a smaller resort on the nearby uninhabited island of Sazan, a communist-era military base. The planned development of hotels, apartments, villas and a marina is linked to Kushner and Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump. In an interview this week with U.S. podcaster David Senra, Ivanka Trump said they discovered the site by accident. "We were on a friend's boat, and we stopped for a swim. Effectively, that's how we found it," she said. "We swam to the island. We went on a hike, barefoot all the way up to the top, and we were just captivated." An investment firm linked to Kushner has been granted special investor status by Albanian authorities. Harsh rule, pristine beaches Albania has 450 kilometers (280 miles) of coast that remained largely underdeveloped during decades of harsh communist rule. Protest groups fear the sections of that pristine coastline could be snapped up by powerful investors. And public anger grew after video showed an activist being dragged by a private security guard while demonstrating at the site. READ MORE: Protests grow over resort in Albania linked to Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner The development is planned within a nature reserve and one of Albania's most valuable biodiversity areas, a key stopover for migratory birds along the Adriatic coast. Protesters have carried cardboard cut-outs of pink flamingos, one of the protected migratory bird species, at rallies in Tirana. Since late May, exc