One member of the Greek ethnic minority in Albania was injured on Saturday during protests at the site of a planned luxury resort linked to Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, the daughter and son-in-law of US President Donald Trump.
Zvërnec, located within one of Albania’s Greek-speaking regions, is considered one of the last nearly untouched coastal zones in the Mediterranean. The project has raised serious concerns among the local Greek ethnic minority regarding the safety of their properties.
ABENDREPORT aus Europa
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Das darf nicht wahr sein. In Europa, wo alles und jeder unter Schutz steht:
Jared Kushner und Ivanka Trump wollen Albaniens geschützte Südküste in ein 1,4 Milliarden Euro Luxusresort verwandeln – Insel Sazan und Küstengebiet bei Zvernec.
Die… pic.twitter.com/0bJt2wxKMO— Anna (@AnnaDeMilanese) May 30, 2026
Following the protest, the Albanian Police issued an official statement claiming that a group of protesters resorted to violence to damage the construction site’s fencing.
“During the gathering, the situation escalated, and a group of demonstrators committed violent acts aimed at breaking through the perimeter fence of the company’s construction site,” the statement read.
The police identified the injured protester by the initials E.S., claiming he had forcefully breached the restricted area.
In recent years, the Albanian government has introduced legislative amendments that facilitate strategic investments, even within environmentally protected zones. These moves have sparked fierce backlash from environmental organizations across Europe.
Growing public mobilization at the Zvërnec site in Albania. Local residents are forming perimeter lines to protest the planned 99-year concession to Affinity Partners. What was pitched as a seamless luxury development is now facing fierce opposition. #Albania #Zvernec #RealEstate pic.twitter.com/9SvzjvswAD
— Ionian Defenders (@IonianDefxw) May 30, 2026
The project is reportedly being spearheaded by “Zvërnec South Adriatic Development,” a company tied to international investment structures involving Qatari investors, Jared Kushner, and Ivanka Trump. The couple aims to develop one of the most ambitious tourism projects on the Albanian Riviera in recent years, boasting an investment budget exceeding €4 billion.
Related: Albania Approves Jared Kushner’s Luxury Resort Project
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama condemned the violence but attempted to decouple the clashes from the controversial tourism project, dismissing recent reports as “big lies.”
In a social media post, Rama commended the State Police leadership for their swift action against both the private security guards involved and the local police leadership in Vlorë.
“I congratulate the leadership of the State Police for their quick and precise response, both against that brainless gang of thugs acting as security guards and against the local police chiefs of Vlorë,” the Albanian Prime Minister stated.
Rama emphasized that the government’s new “zero tolerance” policy toward law enforcement officers who undermine public trust is the right path forward. He also announced that he would soon present details of a major development plan for the country that has been years in the making.
“Tomorrow, I will speak about an extraordinary project for Albania that has been in development for several years. It has absolutely nothing to do with certain big lies circulating in recent days,” Rama wrote, adding that he would publicly address the “truths and lies” surrounding the issue.
The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed “deep concern” over the clashes and lodged official representations with Albanian authorities. Athens underscored the necessity of upholding the rule of law, protecting the rights and properties of the Greek ethnic minority, and safeguarding ecologically protected zones in alignment with the EU acquis—noting that compliance is a prerequisite for Albania’s EU accession process.
The Greek Ministry’s official statement read:
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses its deep concern over the incidents that occurred yesterday, May 30, 2026, in Zvërnec, Albania, during a residents’ protest regarding property rights, which resulted in the injury of a Greek citizen.
The Greek Embassy in Tirana immediately took all necessary steps to ensure he received the required consular and medical assistance. Concurrently, the Embassy is making representations to the Albanian side, demanding a full investigation into the incident and accountability. We acknowledge the initial response of the Albanian authorities.
We emphasize the need for full adherence to the rule of law, including the protection of the rights and properties of members of the Greek National Minority, as well as the effective protection of environmentally protected areas, in line with European standards, compliance with which is a prerequisite for progress in the accession process.”
