Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff visit the Western Wall
Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff visited the Western Wall ahead of hostage release plans included in the Israeli-Hamas ceasefire.
TIRANA, June 5 (Reuters) – Thousands of Albanians took to the streets of Tirana late on Thursday in the week’s largest protest against a luxury resort being planned in an environmentally sensitive area of the Adriatic coast by a company linked to President Donald Trump’s son-in-law.
The 1.4 billion euro ($1.6 billion) project is being led by Jared Kushner’s investment firm Affinity Partners on an undeveloped coastline near the Vijosa Narta Reserve, an island off the coast of Albania and a wetland that is a nesting habitat for southern flamingos, seals and sea turtles.
Environmentalists have opposed the plan, saying it would affect hundreds of hectares of pristine beaches and the thousands of flamingos that nest or migrate through the area each year.
Last week, foundation work and the arrival of heavy equipment at the Villosa Narta site sparked local protests, followed by large street demonstrations in Tirana.
Protesters gathered again in front of Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama’s office late Thursday, holding pink inflatable flamingos and chanting “revolution” and “stop the plan”. The placard read: “Edi Rama, resign.”
“Albania is not for sale. Albania belongs to the Albanian people and we decide what we want to do here. It’s not like some corrupt politicians who run Albania can decide what to do with our assets, which are Albanian heritage, natural heritage and cultural heritage,” said writer Lindita Komani, who took part in the protest.
Rama defended the project. The developers said they would focus on “responsible management and environmental enhancement.”
Albania’s Minister of Economy and Innovation Delina Ibrahimaj said on Thursday that a draft environmental impact assessment has been prepared for the proposed investment, which must fully comply with environmental laws and protect local habitats.
Albania’s state news agency ATA reported that European environmental directives and Albanian law provide legal guarantees against projects that could damage protected lagoons and their surrounding habitats.
Mr. Kushner announced plans to build the resort in 2024 as part of a broader investment that also includes a former army headquarters in the Serbian capital, Belgrade. Last year, he abandoned the Serbia project following street protests.
(Reporting by Fatos Bytyci; Writing by Angeliki Koutantou; Editing by Sharon Singleton)
