The controversy surrounding ‘Kushner Island’ and the €1.4B project

Demonstrations were held last weekend in Tirana and at the Vjosa–Narta Lagoon, a protected wetland on Albania’s Adriatic coast that environmental organizations regard as one of the Mediterranean’s most important biodiversity hotspots.

Protesters carrying Albanian flags and inflatable pink flamingos—the symbol of the campaign—voiced their opposition to plans for large-scale tourism developments linked to Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump.

At the heart of the controversy is Sazan Island, dubbed “Kushner Island” by critics of the project. The island is slated to be transformed into an ultra-luxury tourist destination under a proposed development scheme.

Covering approximately 1,400 hectares, Sazan lies at the junction of the Ionian and Adriatic Seas, at the entrance to the Bay of Vlorë. Known for its mature forests, rare plant species, and crystal-clear turquoise waters, the island remained largely untouched for decades due to its strategic military role.

Under Albania’s communist regime, Sazan was designated a restricted military zone and remained inaccessible to the public for many years. Dictator Enver Hoxha converted the island into a heavily fortified defensive outpost intended to protect the country from potential attacks by NATO or the Soviet Union. At the height of its military significance, the island was home to around 150 military families and contained schools, theatres, hospitals, and other essential facilities. Today, only remnants of that era remain, including abandoned buildings, underground tunnels, and an estimated 3,600 military bunkers scattered across the landscape.

This prolonged isolation helped preserve the island’s unique natural environment. Its distinctive microclimate is often described as subtropical rather than characteristically Mediterranean, contributing to its exceptional ecological value.

Jared Kushner’s investment firm, Affinity Partners, is advancing a development project valued at approximately €1.4 billion. The proposal envisages the construction of a high-end tourism complex comprising luxury hotels, private villas, residential apartments, a marina, and other premium infrastructure.

The project has received the full backing of the Albanian government, which has granted extensive tax incentives during the construction phase. In addition, the state has committed to financing and delivering all major supporting infrastructure, including water supply, wastewater systems, and electricity networks.

The Albanian government maintains that the investment will stimulate economic growth, strengthen the country’s tourism sector, attract foreign capital, and create new employment opportunities. Environmental organizations and local stakeholders, however, have expressed concerns about the project’s potential impact on the area’s fragile ecosystems and have called for greater transparency throughout the approval and licensing process.