Jared Kushner's ambitious $5 billion luxury tourism project in Albania, which includes resorts in the Narta Lagoon and on Sazan Island, is encountering substantial opposition. The development, championed by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama as transformational for the nation's tourism sector and its bid for EU membership, has sparked daily protests in Tirana, dubbed the "Flamingo Revolution," due to environmental concerns and alleged corruption. The project's two main components include a coastal development in the Narta Lagoon, a protected wetland home to migrating flamingos, seals, and sea turtles, and a resort on the uninhabited former military base of Sazan Island.
The project is mired in legal complications, particularly regarding land ownership. Villagers in Zvernec claim their land was wrongfully sold without their consultation or compensation, presenting property deeds from the 1990s. An Albanian court in 2013 had ruled in their favor, but the case remains unresolved. Adding to the controversy, Albania's anti-corruption prosecution service (SPAK) is investigating allegations that deeds for a portion of the land were forged. Prosecutors suspect that Artur Shehu, a Miami-based businessman who sold the land, funneled proceeds from cocaine trafficking into Albanian property using falsified titles, leading to the freezing of approximately 110 million euros ($126 million) tied to the sale.
Despite the mounting opposition and legal challenges, Prime Minister Edi Rama has strongly defended the project, stating that there is no chance it will stop while he is in office. However, the European Union has expressed concern about the project's impact on local wildlife. The ongoing protests, coupled with allegations of organized crime involvement and the complex history of land disputes stemming from Albania's communist past, highlight significant risks for investors in the region, where poor record-keeping and local corruption are common.
