VJOSA RIVER DELTA — Protests have occurred in Albania for nearly two weeks concerning preparatory work for a proposed luxury resort linked to Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. Fences and heavy machinery have been brought to the wetland for site preparation at the Pishë Poro–Nartë protected area.

The proposed project has not received planning permission or an environmental impact assessment. The Albanian government stated the current site work involves technical surveys and environmental measurements rather than construction. Aleksandër Trajçe, executive director of PPNEA, said, "In the meantime, the bulldozers are really progressing. They're destroying the dunes. They're opening new roads."

Prime Minister Edi Rama's office stated that fencing private property is a lawful right of the owner. A public relations agency for Affinity Partners stated the firm is not involved in the project and investors are participating in their personal capacity. Project partners stated the development remains in the planning phase. Sazan Real Estate Development LLC stated it respects ongoing public and institutional processes.

The Vjosa River delta was declared a national park in 2023. The delta hosts approximately 12 percent of Albania's wintering waterbirds. Conservation data indicates 279 of 2,529 species in the delta are internationally threatened. Aleko Miho, a biologist at the University of Tirana, said, "These are important habitats. It doesn't matter who is behind it. What matters is the pressure it puts on a protected area." Miho also stated, "The birds will fly away, for sure." Trajçe said, "If you want to see the Mediterranean as it used to be, before it was wrecked by tourism, this is one of the last – if not the last – spots where you would find it."

Ivanka Trump visited Sazan Island in May. She said, "It feels like a challenge more than anything else: the culmination of all of my experience in real estate, all of my travel, a lot of reflection on how I want to live, how I think people increasingly are wanting to live, and trying to really build something that's a tangible manifestation of that."

In 2024, the Albanian government amended conservation laws to allow five-star hotel construction within protected areas. Ninety-six civil society organizations wrote to the Albanian parliament requesting the repeal of the 2024 environmental protection law amendment. The Albanian government redrew the borders of a protected area in 2022 to permit the construction of Vlora airport. Prime Minister Edi Rama's office disputed claims that the protected area was reduced to accommodate the airport.

Albania aims to join the European Union by 2030. The European Commission urged Albania to comply with environmental rules and refrain from actions that could undermine its accession bid.