Thousands Protest in Tirana for Fourth Day Against Kushner Coastal Project

Thousands of Albanian citizens gathered in Tirana on Thursday for the fourth consecutive day of protests against a coastal tourism complex linked to Jared Kushner, former U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law, and his wife Ivanka Trump. The approximately $1.2 billion project is planned for the Vjosa-Narta protected area along Albania's southern coast. Developers also aim to transform Sazan Island, a former communist-era secret military base, into an upscale tourism destination. The plan was announced two years ago. Protests intensified after videos emerged showing security officials assaulting a man near the protected area and footage of bulldozers and construction preparations on a local beach. Demonstrators are demanding the repeal of the Strategic Investors Law, which has been used to accelerate certain projects, and the reversal of amendments permitting hotel complex construction in protected areas. Albania has designated roughly 22 percent of its territory as protected areas.