Why Jared And Ivanka’s Island Project Could Ruin Albania’s Bid To Join EU
Key takeaways
- "I was voted in to make these things happen,” Rama said Monday about moving forward with the development project. “I’m not voted to be led by people that have a different idea of how to develop the country.”
- Kushner’s project is in very early stages and could take as long as 10 years to complete, after the project was given preliminary approval in December 2024—shortly after President Donald Trump’s reelection.
- Albania could complete its negotiations with Brussels by 2027 and join the bloc by 2030, Rama previously predicted.
Topline Ongoing environmental concerns over Jared Kushner’s planned resort development in Albania could infringe on the Balkan country’s efforts to join the European Union, as European Commission officials in Brussels confirmed Tuesday they’ve warned the Albanian government the project could conflict with the EU’s environmental rules.
Albanians protest outside the Prime Minister's Office in Tirana, Albania, on June 8.Nur Photo via Getty Images Key Facts Kushner and his private equity fund Affinity Partners, along with wife Ivanka Trump, are negotiating with the Albanian government to build luxury resorts on the country’s island of Sazan, and on a separate area on the Albanian coast.
The project has sparked widespread environmental concerns and protests, given potential threats the resorts could cause to local wildlife and protected regions, which has caught the attention of the European Commission as Albania tries to secure EU membership.