Thousands of Albanian residents protested in the center of Tirana against a large-scale tourism project worth 1.4 billion euros, linked to an investment company of Jared Kushner - son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, News.bg reports.
The project envisages the construction of a luxury tourist complex on the island of Sazan and along the coast near Vlora, in close proximity to the Vjosa-Narta protected area.
Environmental organizations warn that the investment could affect hundreds of hectares of pristine beaches and valuable ecosystems inhabited by flamingos, seals and sea turtles.
The demonstrators gathered in front of the government building with posters “The nation does not is for sale“ and “I don't want Albania to become like Dubai“, as well as inflatable flamingo figures.
“We want the construction to be stopped and the equipment to be removed from the protected area“, said ecologist Ioni Vorpsi from the conservation organization “BirdLife Albania“. According to him, the complex will include about 10,000 hotel rooms and will irreversibly change the appearance of the area.
The investors reject the criticism. According to project representatives, the construction will comply with environmental requirements and will bring new jobs and economic benefits to the local population.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama also defended the investment and stressed that the country must remain open to foreign capital.
“There is absolutely no chance that this investment will be stopped while I am in office“, Rama said.
Tensions surrounding the project intensified after construction companies began fencing off land near Zvernec near Vlora. Over the weekend, protesters clashed with private security guards, resulting in injuries.
Jared Kushner announced his investment plans for Albania in 2024 as part of a broader strategy for investments in the Balkans. Part of it was a project in Belgrade, which the investors later abandoned after strong public pressure.