A massive wave of protests in Albania’s capital Tirana continued into its third day, prompting the country’s Special Prosecutor’s Office Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) to officially launched an investigation into land acquisition funds for a controversial luxury tourism complex.
The multi-billion-dollar project is spear-headed by Affinity Partners, an investment firm belonging to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of United States President Donald Trump, and husband of Ivanka Trump.
The investigation serves as a critical turning point for the 1.4-billion-euro development plan, which intends to transform the uninhabited island of Sazan, a former secret communist military base, and the protected coastal wetland of Vjosa-Narta in Zvernec into high-end luxury destinations.
SPAK is currently scrutinizing the legitimacy of the funds used to acquire the land titles before their sale to foreign investors, injecting serious legal uncertainty into the future of the venture.
Capitalizing on the momentum of the probe, thousands of Albanian citizens and environmental activists gathered outside the office of socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama. Chanting “cancel the project” and hoisting “Albania is not for sale” banners alongside inflatable flamingos, demonstrators demanded an immediate halt to all heavy machinery within the legally protected zones.
The targeted Vjosa-Narta wetland serves as a highly sensitive biodiversity hub, hosting critical nesting sites for sea turtles, seals, and flamingos.
The unrest intensified over the weekend in Zvernec when private security guards violently clashed with locals protesting the unauthorized installation of barbed wire blocking public beach access.
The confrontation resulted in injuries to several protesters, prompting authorities to suspend multiple police officers and revoke the licenses of two private security firms.
Despite the widening corruption probe and fierce public backlash, Prime Minister Edi Rama has doubling down on his support for Affinity Partners. Defending the development, Rama stated that the country must remain welcoming to foreign capital, vowing that there is absolutely no chance the investment will stop during his tenure.
