Jared Kushner and the Controversial Albanian Property Development Deal
Jared Kushner's private equity firm, Affinity Partners, has backed a €1.4 billion luxury tourism development on Albania's Sazan Island, triggering nationwide protests. The project would transform part of the Adriatic island into a high-end resort with hotels, villas, a marina, and other facilities. Critics argue it threatens sensitive ecosystems and lacks transparency about investor involvement.
Affinity Partners, the private equity firm founded by Jared Kushner after he left the White House in 2021, is backing a €1.4 billion proposal to develop part of Sazan Island on Albania's Adriatic coast into a luxury resort complex. The project has drawn significant opposition from environmental groups and local campaigners who say it endangers fragile ecosystems and has not been sufficiently transparent about its financial backers. Kushner, who married Ivanka Trump in 2009 and served as a senior White House adviser during Trump's first term, was formally appointed Special Envoy for Peace by President Trump in February 2026. Affinity Partners previously attracted scrutiny after receiving substantial investment from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. Beyond the Albanian controversy, Kushner has been involved in diplomatic efforts related to Iran's nuclear programme and the war in Ukraine, working alongside senior Trump envoy Steve Witkoff. His career has combined real estate, media ownership, and government service, including a central role in brokering the Abraham Accords normalising relations between Israel and several Arab states.
What's missing
The article does not clarify the current status of the Albanian government's approval process for the Sazan Island project, the specific environmental protections or designations that apply to the island, or whether Albanian authorities have responded formally to the protests. The scale and nature of the nationwide protests — including participant numbers and any government response — are also absent.
What different sources said
- EuronewsCenter
Who is Jared Kushner - the man funding Albania's controversial property deal?
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