According to The Guardian and Yahoo News, Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner have purchased an area of around 566 hectares on the Albanian island of Sazan.

They are planning an exclusive luxury resort with an investment volume of around $1.4 billion – and will be using buildings from the communist era.

According to a report in the Kurier newspaper, the site, which served as a military base during the communist era and still contains unexploded ordnance, bunkers and tunnels, among other things, is to be extensively renaturalized and ecologically restored before construction begins.

Jared Kushner mentioned in an interview with The Guardian that the resort should be “the ideal resort that I’d want to be at with my family and with my friends.”

The Albanian government already granted the project “strategic investor” status at the end of December 2024. According to Reuters and Bloomberg, this will enable accelerated approval procedures, tax breaks, and state support—including in the form of a stake by the state-owned Albanian Investment Corporation via the newly founded company Atlantic Incubation Partners LLC.

Prime Minister Edi Rama emphasized to La Voce di New York that the project is a gift for Albania:

“We need luxury tourism like a desert needs water” and “We can’t afford not to exploit a gift like Sazan.”

Plans include a high-end eco-resort, private villas, a marina, and the gently restored integration of old military infrastructure.

Environmental risks & criticism

The project is located in the Karaburun-Sazan National Park and near the Vjosa River delta, a protected area with high biodiversity. According to Le Monde and other environmental organizations, construction activities such as canalization and yachting threaten to seriously endanger the fragile ecosystem. Critics also warn of a new draft law that would facilitate such construction projects in protected areas, despite protests from NGOs such as EcoAlbania and Riverwatch.

Economic impact

The resort project is to be implemented on 45 hectares and create around 1,000 jobs, as reported by Reuters. The government also plans to expand infrastructure, including a new airport near Vlora, to improve connections to the luxury resort.

Conclusion

The project by Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner on Sazan marks a significant step for Albania’s move towards high-end ecotourism. While political support and lucrative incentives are in place, environmental risks and a lack of transparency remain critical issues. Success will depend on whether environmental standards are upheld and local interests are taken into account – or whether Sazan becomes a high-risk prestige project.