A representative of the European Commission stated that Tirana must “avoid any measures that could weaken” its EU accession efforts, amid worries that an extensive coastal development connected to Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law, violates EU environmental norms.
The European Commission has issued a subtle alert to the Albanian government concerning a €1.4 billion real estate venture tied to the family of US President Donald Trump, as demonstrations against plans for a protected ecological zone on the Adriatic coast continue into their second week.
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In response to a question from Euronews on Tuesday, an EU executive spokesperson called on Albanian officials to “take immediate action” to prevent endangering the country’s EU membership aspirations, which demand compliance with the bloc’s environmental regulations.
“Albania needs to avoid moves that might compromise meeting the closing criteria, specifically Chapter 27, and therefore we expect Albanian authorities to act promptly,” stated spokesperson Guillaume Mercier, referring to the section of the EU accession negotiations focused on environmental standards.
He further noted that the Commission had “raised concerns with (Albania’s) Minister of the Environment regarding possible deficiencies in the project,” and that the minister had assured Brussels that the construction has been “halted.”
Nevertheless, Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama has backed the development, telling Euronews on Friday that the opposition to the project is part of a “hybrid war” orchestrated by parties “exploiting the environmental concerns of well-intentioned individuals.”
Protesters have gathered in Tirana, the capital of Albania, and the protected Vjosa-Narta lagoon along the Adriatic coast for nine consecutive days, calling for the cancellation of a luxury real estate development intended for an environmentally safeguarded coastal area.
The pink flamingo, one of the species threatened by the proposals, has become an emblem of the opposition, with demonstrators waving inflatable replicas of the bird, and many demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Rama.
The plans cover two protected zones: the Narta Lagoon, a wildlife reserve, and a smaller resort on the uninhabited Sazan island. Affinity Partners, the investment company behind the project granted special access by Albanian authorities, is connected to Jared Kushner.
Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump, who is Kushner’s wife, recently recounted on a US podcast how they discovered Sazan island.
“We were on a friend’s boat and stopped to swim. That’s essentially how we found it,” Ivanka Trump explained. “We swam to the island, hiked barefoot to the summit, and were completely captivated.”
‘Concerns have a long history’
A 2015 Albanian law on strategic investments, which Brussels has repeatedly urged to be abolished, appears to have allowed the Kushner-linked investment firm to obtain special privileges.
Brussels expressed concerns in its annual report on candidate countries’ EU accession progress last year about a February 2025 amendment to the law that granted exemptions for investments exceeding €50 million.
“Though such measures aim to stimulate economic growth, they have raised issues related to transparency, fair access, favoritism, and the absence of competitive processes,” the Commission’s report highlighted.
The same report warned Albania against changes to legislation on protected areas that had caused “a rollback of their protection,” pointing to environmental offenses.
Significantly, Albania is considered the leading candidate after Montenegro in its pursuit to join the EU. Accession talks, divided into 33 chapters under four thematic groups, are ongoing, including the chapter covering environmental regulations.
Successfully concluding this chapter is essential for Albania to maintain progress in its EU membership bid.
The project is currently under investigation by Albania’s independent anti-corruption and anti-mafia prosecution agency, SPAK. The authority is reportedly examining amendments to a 2024 Albanian law that eliminated longstanding protections for some of the country’s most vulnerable ecosystems.