Albania’s anti-corruption prosecutors have launched an investigation into controversial land and environmental changes linked to a luxury resort project backed by Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners. The development, planned for protected coastal areas including Sazan Island and the Vjosa-Narta wetlands, has sparked environmental protests and political controversy.
TIRANA, Albania — Albania, a country that scored just 39 out of 100 in Transparency International’s latest Corruption Perceptions Index and ranks 91st among 180 nations, now finds itself at the center of an extraordinary political and environmental controversy involving a development project linked to Jared Kushner, the son of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Jared Kushner and Donald Trump get along exceptionally well. Their relationship has been strong both personally and professionally. As Trump’s son-in-law, Kushner became one of his most trusted advisors during Trump’s first term in the White House
The investigation comes at a particularly sensitive moment for U.S.-Albanian relations. On the occasion of Albania’s 113th Independence Day on November 28, President Trump sent official greetings to the Albanian people, praising the strong security and economic partnership between the two NATO allies. Yet while diplomatic messages emphasized cooperation and friendship, Albania’s most powerful anti-corruption institution has launched an inquiry into a luxury resort project connected to Trump’s inner circle.
The Special Structure Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK), Albania’s independent anti-corruption prosecution office, confirmed it has opened an investigation into controversial changes made in 2024 to the protected status and ownership arrangements of land surrounding Sazan Island and the Vjosa-Narta protected landscape.
The inquiry centers on decisions that paved the way for a massive tourism development proposed by Affinity Partners, the private equity firm led by Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and one of the most influential figures in the president’s political orbit.
Protected Paradise at the Center of the Dispute
The proposed development encompasses the uninhabited Adriatic island of Sazan and hundreds of hectares within the Vjosa-Narta protected area, one of Albania’s most ecologically sensitive coastal regions.
Environmental scientists describe the area as a biodiversity hotspot, home to flamingos, Mediterranean monk seals, migratory bird populations, and sea turtle nesting grounds. Conservation groups have warned that large-scale construction could irreversibly alter fragile ecosystems that have remained largely untouched for decades.
Kushner unveiled plans for the project in August 2024, envisioning an ultra-luxury destination that Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama recently confirmed could include up to 10,000 hotel rooms. In early 2026, Kushner and his wife, Ivanka Trump, visited the area in person as negotiations with the Albanian government continued.
The scale of the project has drawn both international attention and local resistance.
Protests Escalate
Citizen groups and environmental organizations began mobilizing in late May after developers erected large barbed-wire-topped fences around portions of the proposed development site near Zvernec in southern Albania.
The barriers effectively blocked public access to beaches traditionally used by local residents and tourists, triggering demonstrations that quickly escalated into confrontations with authorities.
Protest organizers argue that the project represents a privatization of public coastal resources and accuse government officials of prioritizing foreign investment over environmental protection and community interests.
Environmental activists have also questioned the speed with which legal and administrative changes were enacted, particularly those affecting the protected status of land within the project zone.
Rama Defends Project
Addressing lawmakers this week, Prime Minister Rama rejected accusations that the resort would encroach on protected wildlife reserves.
“The final proposal has not yet been submitted, and the environmental study has not been completed,” Rama told parliament, arguing that critics are drawing conclusions before the project’s details have been finalized.
The government maintains that the development could generate substantial economic benefits, create jobs, and position Albania as a premier Mediterranean tourism destination.
Yet the ongoing SPAK investigation suggests prosecutors believe the process that enabled the project warrants closer examination.
Kushner’s Dual Roles Draw Scrutiny
The controversy is further complicated by Kushner’s unique position at the intersection of business and politics.
As head of Affinity Partners, he oversees a real estate and investment portfolio valued in the billions of dollars. Simultaneously, he serves as President Trump’s special envoy for peace and has played roles in diplomatic efforts related to Gaza, Iran, and the war in Ukraine.
Ethics experts and government watchdog organizations have increasingly raised concerns about potential overlaps between Kushner’s business interests and political responsibilities.
The Albanian project has become a prominent example of those concerns, particularly because it involves negotiations with a foreign government while Kushner continues to maintain a significant diplomatic profile.
Neither Kushner nor Affinity Partners responded to requests for comment regarding SPAK’s investigation.
A Test for Albania’s Justice Reforms
Perhaps the most significant aspect of the case is what it reveals about Albania’s evolving anti-corruption framework.
SPAK was established in 2019 with substantial support from both the European Union and the United States as part of sweeping judicial reforms designed to combat entrenched corruption and strengthen the rule of law.
Operating independently from Albania’s traditional judicial structures, SPAK has prosecuted and secured convictions against numerous high-ranking political figures across party lines. Multiple independent surveys now identify it as the country’s most trusted public institution.
Its willingness to investigate a project linked to one of the most politically connected families in the United States may represent the agency’s most consequential test yet.
For Albania, a nation whose corruption score declined again in Transparency International’s latest assessment, the investigation will be closely watched as a measure of whether judicial reforms can withstand pressure when powerful political and economic interests converge.
The outcome could shape not only the future of one of the Mediterranean’s most ambitious tourism developments, but also international perceptions of Albania’s commitment to transparency, environmental protection, and the rule of law.
