Albanian Prime Minister Addresses Protests Over Ivanka Trump Resort Project

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama addressed ongoing protests related to a luxury resort project involving Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. In a post on X, Rama stated that the media has exaggerated the scale of the protests, which he claimed peaked at 8,000 participants but recently drew around 2,000. The proposed $1.4 billion resort is to be developed on the uninhabited island of Sazan, raising environmental concerns among protesters about potential damage to the local landscape. Conservation groups and opposition leaders have criticized the lack of transparency regarding permits for the project, with calls for public consultation. Rama defended the project as essential for tourism development, asserting that no construction has begun and that the project is still in the planning stage. Despite the protests, he indicated that the investment would continue. Reports from conservationists noted construction activity at the site, which has further fueled public outcry. The Albanian government granted the project 'strategic investor status' in 2024, allowing for expedited permit approvals.