Albania Protests Continue Against Kushner-Backed Luxury Resort on Former Military Island as Government Vows to Proceed

He added that the government declared there is a development permit, but nobody has seen it and it has not been made public. Rama's socialist administration has been embroiled in a corruption scandal since charges were filed late last year against Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, a close ally of Prime Minister Edi Rama.

Albania's parliament, led by a socialist majority, has blocked the arrest of Balluku.

SPAK, Albania's anti-corruption prosecution office, opened an investigation into the project earlier this week, according to local media reporting. Edi Rama, who has led the country since 2013, insisted the project will go ahead despite rising public pressure.

"It is very important that we remain welcoming, that we remain fair, and that under no circumstances do we receive the stigma of being a country where investors are met with hostility," Rama said in a statement.

CBS News travelled with protesters on Saturday to the Zvërnec area on Albania's southern coast. There was little trace of bulldozers or building equipment left in the area beyond tire tracks along the beach on June 6, 2026. Protesters shouted anti-government slogans at Dalani Beach in Zvernec on the same day.

A local environmental officer for the PPNEA told CBS News that the group had mapped the destruction of at least one sea turtle nest due to the bulldozers. A representative for Sazan Real Estate Development LLC stated the company was excited about creating a world-class destination and making one of the largest private investments in the region's history.

Asher Abehsera, CEO of Sazan Real Estate Development LLC, said on Friday: "Our focus remains on responsible stewardship, environmental enhancement, job creation, and creating long-term value for local communities.

Albania has one of the lowest rates of GDP per capita in Europe. A young woman told CBS News in Tirana on Friday evening that the project site is part of UNESCO and she does not want the flamingos and animals destroyed.