Jared Kushner’s real estate ventures in Albania are stirring significant controversy. His firm, Affinity Partners, plans to develop luxury resorts on the pristine Sazan Island and the Adriatic Coast, including a site within a protected nature reserve. These ambitious projects, valued at over a billion dollars, are sparking concerns about environmental impact, local displacement, and potential corruption, even as Albania experiences a tourism boom.
Kushner’s Albanian Ambitions Unveiled
Jared Kushner’s investment firm, Affinity Partners, is making significant inroads into Albania’s burgeoning tourism sector. The firm has secured a controversial $1.4 billion deal to transform Sazan Island, a former military outpost, into a "luxury resort." Additionally, plans include a massive 1,100-acre luxury resort on the country’s Adriatic Coast, featuring 6,000 hotel rooms and villas near the Narta lagoon, an area known for its rich avian diversity.
- The Sazan Island project alone is slated to be a 1,400-acre resort community.
- Architectural plans for the mainland development show "modernist multistorey structures" along the shore, dunes, and headlands.
Environmental and Local Concerns Mount
The proposed developments have ignited a firestorm of opposition from environmentalists and local residents. Sazan Island lies within a national marine park, and the mainland project encroaches upon a protected nature reserve. Critics highlight the potential for "tremendous" ecological and economic costs.
- Biodiversity Threat: The Narta lagoon is a vital habitat for flamingos and other bird species, while Sazan boasts a unique "Jurassic" landscape with diverse flora.
- Water Scarcity: Albania already faces water shortages, and the influx of luxury developments is expected to exacerbate this issue, with plans to divert water from inland rivers.
- Displacement and Access: Locals fear losing their land, public access to beaches and lagoons, and the destruction of traditional ways of life.
- Unexploded Ordnance: Sazan Island still contains unexploded ordnance from its military past, raising safety concerns for development.
Secrecy, Corruption, and Geopolitical Undercurrents
The negotiations surrounding the Sazan deal were reportedly kept secret from residents and parliamentarians, leading to accusations of a lack of transparency. Many question whether the Albanian government is courting Kushner to curry political favor with his father-in-law, Donald Trump, a suggestion Prime Minister Edi Rama has denied.
- Legal Loopholes: The Albanian government has reportedly changed laws to permit luxury developments in protected areas for "strategic investors."
- Tax Exemptions: Affinity Partners will reportedly pay no tax during construction, with the Albanian government underwriting infrastructure costs.
- Broader Implications: Some analysts suggest these investments are part of a larger geopolitical strategy, linking Albania to a constellation of right-wing populists and potentially serving as a "dry run" for similar projects in other sensitive regions.
Albania’s Tourism Boom: A Double-Edged Sword
Albania has experienced a significant tourism boom, with nearly 12 million visitors in 2024. While this brings economic benefits, it also strains resources and infrastructure. The government, however, views luxury tourism as a key to sustainable growth.
- Mass vs. Luxury Tourism: Albania’s Minister for Tourism and the Environment, Mirela Kumbaro, stated that the country cannot compete with mass tourism and must focus on "quality" and "value over volume."
- Infrastructure Demands: The government is committed to providing essential infrastructure, including water, electricity, and sewage, for these large-scale projects.
Despite assurances from Kushner’s team about respecting the environment, the projects continue to draw scrutiny, highlighting the complex interplay between economic development, environmental preservation, and political influence in Albania.
Sources
- Jared and Ivanka’s Albanian island, The Week.
- ‘The Economist’: Jared Kushner has it easier in Albania than Albanians themselves, Vox News Albania.
- Albania’s for Sale, and Jared Kushner’s Buying, Jacobin.
- Sold to the Trump family: one of the last undeveloped islands in the Mediterranean | Albania, The Guardian.
- Albania’s tourism boom is a boon for Jared Kushner, The Economist.
