Disputed Resort Land
Albanian Villagers Claim Jared Kushner's Luxury Resort Project Sits on Disputed Land
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Albanian villagers are fighting to stop Jared Kushner's $4.7 billion luxury resort, saying the land was stolen from them and sold illegally. They are showing up with deeds and tax records to prove it, according to Reuters.
The dispute has sparked 19 days of mass protests in the capital Tirana. Demonstrators marching under the slogan "Albania is Not for Sale" are now calling for Prime Minister Edi Rama to resign, according to Tucson.com.
Villagers Say Land Was Stolen Twice Over
The disputed land sits along the Zvërnec coastline, inside the Vjosa-Narta protected wetland. Kostaq Konomi, an 81-year-old villager, says his family's land was first seized by the communist government decades ago. Now he says it was sold again — this time to developers linked to Kushner. "I was ready to get a rifle and start shooting," he told Reuters. "Now I am an old man and they say I cannot enter."
Private security forces began fencing off coastal plots in May 2024, according to Reuters. Villagers say a rival claimant sold the land without their knowledge. Albania's post-communist land restitution was messy and left many families holding old deeds that were never entered into the modern national registry.
Land Value Jumped 2,200% — Now Under Criminal Probe
Albania's anti-corruption unit, known as SPAK, has opened a formal investigation into how the land was acquired. Investigators are focused on one striking number: the Zvërnec plot's value jumped from €5.5 million to €122 million in just a few months — a 2,200% increase, according to Crossroads Today.
Analysts suspect shell companies registered in the Netherlands were used to hide who really owns the land. If SPAK finds evidence of illegal activity, international banks could pull their funding from the entire project. The Albanian government granted Kushner's vehicle, Atlantic Incubation Partners LLC, "strategic investor" status after Donald Trump won reelection in November 2024, fast-tracking permits.
EU Warns Albania: Birds and Accession Both at Stake
The European Commission has issued a formal warning to Albania over the project. The Zvërnec wetland is a critical stopover for over 200 species of migratory birds, including flamingos. EU spokesman Guillaume Mercier warned that ignoring environmental rules — such as the Birds and Habitats Directive — could stall Albania's goal of joining the EU by 2030, according to Tucson.com.
Protesters have embraced the flamingo as their symbol, waving inflatable birds during marches. Environmentalists say construction crews have already destroyed dunes and cut new roads through the protected area. Prime Minister Rama brushed off the concerns, saying "the birds, the waters, the trees will be much better than they are today" and promising "25% more green."
Kushner and Ivanka Defend a $4.7 Billion Vision
Ivanka Trump, who is also involved in the project, has described stumbling upon Sazan Island by boat. "We swam to the island, we went on a hike barefoot... we were just captivated," she said. The plan includes 10,000 hotel rooms across two sites — the Zvërnec coast and Sazan Island, a former top-secret military base once called "Europe's North Korea," according to Crossroads Today.
Kushner has called the project a "very high-end luxury product." His firm, Affinity Partners, has communicated largely through PR agencies. The Albanian government says the deal will bring billions in foreign investment and create thousands of jobs. But with a criminal probe open and the EU watching closely, the project faces its biggest test yet.
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