Thousands of people are called to demonstrate this Wednesday in Tirana against two controversial tourist projects on the Albanian coast linked to the family of President Donald Trump, amid growing criticism for their environmental impact.

Albania is experiencing a growing wave of mobilizations against these luxury resorts on the Adriatic coast, and previous protests have brought together tens of thousands of people.

At the center of the controversy is a tourism development planned in the protected Vjosa-Narta wetlands, near the coastal region of Zvernec in the south of the country, as well as on the island of Sazan, home to military installations in the communist era.

The project is linked to Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump's son-in-law and daughter, through their Miami-based investment firm, Affinity Partners.

His Qatari partners, businessmen Moutaz and Ramez Al-Khayyat, recently acquired beachfront land in the Zvernec area and, speaking to the New York Times, Moutaz Al-Khayyat confirmed that this is an initiative with Affinity Partners.

In 2024, the Albanian Government granted Affinity Partners the status of strategic investor for the development of Sazan Island, a project valued at approximately $1.63 billion; The tourist complex in Zvernec would cost even more, estimated at more than $4.65 billion.

In recent years, tourism in Albania has grown significantly, driven by interest in a still relatively unspoiled coast, with well-preserved natural landscapes and less crowded beaches.

The protests have gained strength in recent days and, according to several Albanian media, including Top Channel and ABC News, thousands of protesters have marched through Tirana under the slogan “Albania is not for sale” or chanting slogans such as “Ivanka, go home.”

Tension increased on May 31, when private security guards confronted protesters in Zvernec, where they were trying to access a beach fenced with barbed wire.

Among the injured was a citizen with Albanian and Greek nationality, which provoked a reaction from the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which expressed its “deep concern” and asked the Albanian authorities for explanations.

The Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, condemned what happened during a press conference held yesterday in Tirana, although he firmly defended the Zvernec project and rejected the environmental criticism spread by various media outlets.

The mobilizations have evolved into a broader political protest and, as reported today by the A2 network, the protesters are now demanding the resignation of both Edi Rama and the opposition leader Sali Berisha, the two dominant figures in Albanian politics for decades.

For its part, Albania's Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation into the transfers of property titles that allowed construction in the Zvernec wetlands, currently in the hands of the Al-Khayyat brothers.

Tourism accounts for approximately 26% of Albania's GDP, and in 2025, total tourism spending was around $6.61 billion.