Edi Rama: Environmental assessment to determine fate of Kushner project

Luxurious Tourism Ambitions in Zvërnec Protected Area

The planned luxury resort investment in southwestern Albania is spearheaded by Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner, who serves as a conseiller du président and U.S. administration emissary. During an interview with Euronews Europe Editor Maria Tadeo at the summit, Rama defended the project by emphasizing its potential economic benefits for the country. He noted that Albania needs such high-end tourism investments to meet national development needs, raise wages, and improve public services. Critics have organized multiple demonstrations in Tirana to protest the construction of the complex within the Zvërnec protected area, with some participants calling for Rama’s resignation. In response to the domestic backlash, Rama described his government’s approach by stating that the project’s progression depends entirely on environmental findings rather than public pressure.

European Union Integration and Environmental Compliance

As Albania advances its candidacy for European Union membership, the environmental compliance of major infrastructure projects remains a central point of scrutiny. In June, Tirana assured the European Commission that the Trump-family-linked development would strictly adhere to European Union environmental standards. The alignment of Albanian legislation with the EU acquis communautaire, particularly concerning environmental protection, is critical as the country progresses through the accession process. Rama reflected on Albania’s broader tourism transformation during the summit, characterizing the nation’s past as the former Corée du Nord de l’Europe while promoting his administration’s strategy to expand high-quality tourism destinations despite ongoing local opposition.