Thousands of Albanians marched in the capital, Tirana, on June 3, 2026 to oppose a massive luxury resort being built on their coastline. The resort is connected to Jared Kushner, the U.S. businessman and former White House adviser. Ten days later, Prime Minister Edi Rama said the government would not change its mind because of protests. The result is a clash between the government and a broad group—including environmentalists, opposition politicians, and ordinary citizens—who want the project stopped.

What Is the Resort, and Why Is It Happening?

Kushner announced plans for the Zvërnec resort in 2024. It will be built on Albania's Adriatic coast, right next to a protected wetland—a shallow water area where rivers meet the sea and many plants and birds live. The resort is expected to cost between €1.6 billion and €4 billion (roughly $1.7 to $4.3 billion).

Albania is one of Europe's poorest countries. Prime Minister Rama wants to attract wealthy foreign investors to build tourism projects and bring jobs and money to the economy. He says the resort will put Albania on the map as a world-class destination. That has been his pitch to international investors for years.

What Do the Protesters Want?

Protesters are using the slogan "Albania is not for sale." But their deeper complaint is specific: they say the government changed its environmental protection laws to make room for this resort. If that is true, it is a serious problem, because Albania is trying to join the European Union, and the EU has strict environmental rules.

Andrey Ralev, a wildlife expert with a Central and Eastern European environmental group, has raised concerns. He questions whether the government did a thorough enough review of how the resort would harm the wetland. In EU countries, such reviews are required before any project can damage a protected nature area. Ralev is essentially saying the government cut corners.

The Vjosa River, where the resort will be built, is right next to the wetland. Albania has actually bragged to the world that this river is "Europe's last wild river." Building a luxury resort next to it seems to contradict that message.

Why Won't Rama Stop the Project?

Rama's reasons are straightforward: Albania needs money. The country is poor, and foreign investment in hotels and resorts creates jobs and brings in tourists' cash. Having Kushner involved—a famous American businessman—shows the world that Albania is attractive to major investors.

Rama also has political power right now. Parliamentary elections in May 2025 gave him a working majority, so he can weather public anger in the short term.

But there is another layer to this. The best way to actually stop the project would not be street protests—it would be to prove in court or through official channels that the government broke environmental laws or bent the rules unfairly. If that happens, leverage comes from the EU. Albania is trying to join the European Union, and Brussels takes environmental law seriously. The European Commission watches how candidate countries handle these issues.

Protestors and environmental groups appear to be pursuing legal battles alongside marches, banking on the fact that the EU cares more about rule-of-law violations than crowds do.

Also worth noting: the fact that Kushner's name is on the project means it will get attention in American news media and Congress. That adds pressure the government did not expect.