The European Union has issued one of its strongest warnings yet to Albania over a controversial €1.4 billion luxury tourism development linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, raising concerns that the country's path toward EU membership could be put at risk if the project moves forward unchanged.
The warning comes after weeks of street protests across Albania, where thousands of citizens have demonstrated against large-scale developments planned in environmentally protected areas. The demonstrations have evolved into a broader debate over environmental protection, transparency, and the government's development policies.
Leading a four-day fact-finding mission by the European Parliament to the areas affected by the proposed investment, Dutch Member of the European Parliament Tineke Strik delivered a sharp message to Prime Minister Edi Rama's government. Speaking after the visit, Strik said Albania's European ambitions would be difficult to reconcile with decisions that undermine environmental standards and EU principles.
According to Strik, if the Albanian government truly considers European Union membership its highest strategic priority, it should suspend the controversial project and make it clear to the Trump family that Albania's future lies with Europe rather than with politically sensitive investments that raise serious environmental and governance concerns.
The Dutch lawmaker accused the Albanian government of "playing with fire," warning that pursuing the development despite widespread criticism could have consequences for Albania's EU accession process. Her remarks, reported by The Guardian, represent one of the clearest signals from European lawmakers that the issue has moved beyond a domestic environmental dispute and is now being viewed as a matter affecting Albania's alignment with European values and legislation.
The proposed resort, backed by Jared Kushner's investment firm, has attracted intense scrutiny because it would be developed in one of Albania's most environmentally significant coastal areas. Environmental organizations, local residents, and civil society groups argue that the project threatens protected ecosystems and could set a dangerous precedent for future developments in protected landscapes.
The European Parliament delegation met with local communities, environmental activists, and representatives of Albanian institutions during its visit to better assess the impact of the project and the government's handling of environmental protections.
As Albania continues negotiations toward European Union membership, environmental governance, the rule of law, and transparency remain among the key criteria monitored by Brussels. The latest intervention from members of the European Parliament suggests that controversial projects perceived as conflicting with those standards could increasingly become part of the broader assessment of the country's accession progress.
With public protests continuing and European scrutiny intensifying, the future of the Kushner-backed investment is becoming not only a domestic political issue but also a test of Albania's commitment to the reforms and environmental standards expected of future EU member states.