Albania Protests Over Planned Luxury Resort Development on Private Island

Albania’s Luxury Resort Project Sparks Controversy

A high-profile development project on a private island off Albania’s west coast has sparked widespread opposition and protests across the country. The $1.6 billion luxury resort plan, led by Sazan Real Estate Development LLC, involves the construction of hotels, apartments, and villas in a protected wildlife reserve area.

The project was announced more than two years ago and has been granted “strategic investor” status to Atlantic Incubation Partners, a firm linked to Kushner’s Affinity Partners fund. Ivanka Trump, daughter of US President Donald Trump, recently visited the Vlora region, accompanied by architects and investors, and met with Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama.

The government hopes the project will position Albania as a major global tourism destination, but environmental concerns have been raised. The development plan involves turning a former communist-era military base into a resort on Sazan Island. Protests erupted when bulldozers arrived on the beaches in recent days, with thousands of people demonstrating against the project.

Rama has stated that the investment is valued at four billion euros ($4.7bn) and that there is no chance for it to stop as long as he is in office. The project’s chairman, Asher Abehsera, said that the focus remains on responsible stewardship, environmental enhancement, job creation, and creating long-term value for local communities.

The protests have drawn criticism from environmental campaigners and critics of Rama’s government. The development has sparked concerns about the impact on the island’s ecosystem and the displacement of local residents.

Source: Al Jazeera