---
title: "Environmental Scandal: Brussels Threatens Albania with EU Accession Failure Due to Jared Kushner's Resort"
description: "Brussels has warned Albania of the risk of failing to join the EU due to Jared Kushner's resort. 🇦🇱🚫 Large-scale construction in protected areas has sparked the \"Flamingo Revolution\" protests and an official corruption investigation. EU environmental norms are under threat for the sake of billion-dollar investments. 🦩🏗️"
date: 2026-06-07T22:16:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/brussels-threatens-albania-with-eu-accession-failure-due-to-kushners-resort
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Environmental Scandal: Brussels Threatens Albania with EU Accession Failure Due to Jared Kushner's Resort

![Protesters in Albania hold a sign urging Ivanka Trump to stay away from the Narta project, symbolizing the environmental scandal surrounding Jared Kushner's resort](https://xab.info/media/2026/06/08/brussel-grozit-albanii-sryvom-vstupleniya-v-es-iz-za-kurorta-kushnera/brussel-grozit-albanii-sryvom-vstupleniya-v-es-iz-za-kurorta-kushnera-1.webp)

Albania's accession to the European Union is under threat due to a massive construction project initiated by the son-in-law of former US President Donald Trump, Jared Kushner. Brussels has officially warned Tirana: the implementation of the resort in protected areas could cost the country its membership in the bloc.

### Brussels' Pressure and Environmental Standards

The European Commission has taken a hard line, stating that construction on the southern coast of Albania violates key EU environmental norms. To continue accession negotiations, the country must bring its legislation into full compliance with the Birds and Habitats Directives. Specifically, Brussels demands the repeal of amendments to the Law on Protected Areas and the suspension of the Strategic Investments Law, which allows privileged projects to bypass standard checks.

A representative of the European Commission emphasized that Albania must immediately refrain from any actions that could undermine the fulfillment of the criteria for closing the "green" Chapter 27 in negotiations. "We expect Albanian authorities to act without delay," the official summarized.

### "Flamingo Revolution": Mass Protests

The situation in the country has escalated into a serious political crisis. For a week now, national protests known as the "Flamingo Revolution" have swept across Albania. Activists are opposing the development of unique ecosystems where rare birds nest, and where turtles and seals live. The movement has been supported by the Albanian diaspora in New York, London, and Brussels, who are calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.

At the center of the conflict are two sites acquired by Kushner's fund, Affinity Partners:

    - The uninhabited island of Sazan, where a project worth $1.4 billion is planned.

    - The Zvërnec area in a protected landscape, where investors plan to invest $4.7 billion.

### Political Game and Investigation

Prime Minister Edi Rama is trying to distance himself from responsibility, calling the hype around the project artificial. According to him, if it were not for Jared Kushner's name, European leaders would not have paid attention to the construction. Rama also expressed confidence that Brussels is not too concerned about internal protests in Albania.

However, the situation has gone beyond an environmental debate. The anti-corruption prosecutor SPAK has initiated an official investigation into the change of status of protected lands. Investigators are checking the legality of property rights acquired in 2024, as well as the legitimacy of using the 2015 Strategic Investments Law to speed up the process.

For Albania, the stakes are extremely high: the country aims to join the European Union by 2030, and technical negotiations must be completed by 2027. Failure to meet environmental criteria could push Tirana back years in the list of candidates.