The European Commission has issued a pointed warning to the Albanian government over a €1.4 billion luxury real-estate project linked to US President Donald Trump's family, as protests against the development in an ecologically protected area on the Adriatic coast enter their second week.
Responding to a question from Euronews on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the EU executive urged authorities in Tirana to “act without delay” to avoid jeopardising the country's bid to join the European Union. The project, which involves two protected sites—the Narta Lagoon wildlife reserve and the uninhabited island of Sazan—must align with EU environmental rules, the Commission stressed.
“Albania should refrain from actions that could undermine the fulfilment of the closing benchmark, in this case Chapter 27, and so we expect the Albanian authorities to act without any delay,” said spokesperson Guillaume Mercier, referring to the chapter of EU accession talks that requires candidate countries to comply with environmental standards. He added that the Commission has “expressed concerns to (Albania’s) Minister of the Environment about the potential shortcomings of the project,” and that the minister had assured Brussels that construction work has been “suspended”.
Project Linked to Kushner and Trump Family
The development is backed by Affinity Partners, an investment firm linked to Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law. His wife, Ivanka Trump, described on a US podcast how they discovered Sazan island: “We were on a friend’s boat, and we stopped for a swim. Effectively, that’s how we found it. We swam to the island. We went on a hike, barefoot all the way up to the top, and we were just captivated.”
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has defended the project, telling Euronews on Friday that resistance to the plans formed part of a “hybrid war” wielded by actors “using the sentiments of some well-meaning people about the environment.” Rama's government has faced growing criticism over the project, which is seen as a test of the country's commitment to EU accession.
Demonstrators have gathered in Tirana and at the Vjosa-Narta lagoon for nine consecutive days, demanding the cancellation of the luxury resort. The pink flamingo, one of the species threatened by the development, has become a symbol of the protests, with demonstrators wielding inflatable versions of the bird and calling for Rama's resignation.
EU Concerns Over Albanian Law
Brussels has long raised concerns about a 2015 Albanian law on strategic investments, which critics say allowed Affinity Partners to acquire special authority. In its annual progress report on candidate countries last year, the Commission flagged amendments to the law in February 2025 that included special exemptions for investments worth €50 million or more. “While these measures are designed to boost economic activity, they have also raised concerns about transparency and equitable access, favouritism and lack of competitive processes,” the report stated.
The same report cautioned Albania against amendments to a law on protected areas, which had led to the “unravelling of their protection” and raised concerns over environmental crimes. Albania is considered a frontrunner in EU accession talks, behind Montenegro, with negotiations ongoing across 33 chapters. Closing Chapter 27 on environmental standards will be critical to sustaining momentum.
The project is currently under investigation by Albania's independent anti-corruption and anti-mafia prosecution body, SPAK. The agency is believed to be probing changes made to a 2024 Albanian law that removed long-standing protections from the country's most sensitive ecosystems.
For more on the protests and the broader context, see our earlier report: Albania's 'Kushner Island': Why a Luxury Resort Plan Is Sparking Protests.
The Commission's warning underscores the delicate balance Albania must strike between attracting foreign investment and meeting EU environmental standards. As the protests continue, the fate of the project—and Albania's EU ambitions—hangs in the balance.
