What to know about the growing opposition to an Albanian resort linked to the Trump family

Key Points:

• A large coastal development project in Albania linked to Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump is facing significant opposition from environmentalists and protesters concerned about its impact on protected natural areas.
• The project involves building luxury hotels, apartments, villas, and a marina on a wildlife reserve in the Narta Lagoon and the uninhabited island of Sazan, sparking fears over destruction of biodiversity and habitat for migratory birds.
• Thousands protested peacefully in Tirana, with additional demonstrations and symbolic acts like a 15-kilometer swim around the disputed island by Albanian Australian swimmer Eva Buzo to raise awareness.
• The Albanian government supports the €4 billion project, viewing it as transformative for tourism and EU membership ambitions, despite ongoing legal disputes over land ownership and an anti-corruption investigation.
• The controversy echoes a similar failed Kushner-linked development in Serbia, where legal challenges and corruption charges led to the project's collapse, raising questions about the Albanian venture's future.