The sun-soaked Albanian coast has become the latest battlefield in the war over foreign influence. Jared Kushner, former White House adviser and son-in-law to Donald Trump, is backing a luxury resort on the island of Sazan. Locals are furious. Protests have erupted in Vlora, the mainland gateway to the island.
They see it as a land grab. A plot to turn their pristine coastline into a playground for oligarchs. The Albanian government is bullish. They say it's a job creator. But the British government is watching closely. Quietly, cables have been sent from the Foreign Office. There is unease in London. Not just about environmental damage, but about something murkier.
A diplomatic source tells me: "We are concerned about the concentration of influence. This is not just about tourism. It's about access. Who gets to the table."
Kushner's involvement is the headline. But the story runs deeper. The resort is a joint venture with Albanian developer Taulant Bala. Bala has close ties to Prime Minister Edi Rama. The land deal was fast-tracked. Critics say due process was bypassed. The opposition is calling for a parliamentary inquiry.
For Westminster, this is a case study in grey-zone influence. Not a direct threat like a Russian spy ring. But a slow erosion. A billionaire investor buying political goodwill. This is the new normal. The UK's Integrated Review, published last year, warned about such non-military challenges. It looks prescient now.
There is also a personal angle for Downing Street. Kushner is not just any businessman. He is a former senior White House aide. He knows how power works. He has a network that spans from Mar-a-Lago to the Gulf. The Albania project has been bankrolled by a Qatar-backed investment fund. This is a spider's web.
A Foreign Office minister is expected to face questions in the Commons next week. Labour's shadow foreign secretary has already tabled a question. The government will need to show it is on top of this. But the real action is behind the scenes. Diplomats are talking to their Albanian counterparts. Quiet diplomacy. Brits don't do public lectures.
For now, the protests continue. The bulldozers haven't moved in yet. But the contracts are signed. The political fallout is just beginning. This is a story about one resort. But it's also about the way global elites carve up the world. London is taking notes. The lesson: influence can be bought, but pushback is coming.
One final detail: the island of Sazan was once a military base. Now it's for sale. Albania is a NATO ally. The UK has defense agreements with them. There are no security implications for the base, says the MoD. But some in the intelligence community are uneasy. They remember how Russian oligarchs snapped up assets in London in the 2000s. That didn't end well.
