The sun-drenched Albanian coastline is no stranger to ambition. But as Jared Kushner's luxury resort project takes shape near the historic town of Sarandë, the local response has been less than welcoming. Protests have erupted, and British investors are being warned of the reputational risk of association with the Trump son-in-law's latest venture.
On the surface, it is a tale of development: a $1.4 billion complex of hotels, villas and marinas promising jobs and tourism revenue. But scratch beneath the plaster, and the picture is more complex. Local activists argue the project tramples on environmental protections and displaces communities, with permits rushed through in opaque circumstances. "They treat us like peasants in our own land," one protester told me, her voice thick with frustration.
This is not just a local spat. The Kushner brand carries political baggage that could spill over onto British firms involved. For investors eyeing the Balkans as a frontier market, the calculation must now include the risk of being tarred with the same brush as an administration that divided opinion. "Due diligence now means looking at who you're doing business with, not just the balance sheet," a London-based risk analyst explained.
Yet the cultural shift runs deeper. Albania has long sold itself as a blank canvas for foreign capital, but this project has awakened a dormant civic pride. Young Albanians, many educated abroad, are demanding transparency and sustainability. They are not anti-capitalist, but they want to shape their own future. Protest signs read "Our coast, your profit" and "Tourism yes, exploitation no."
For the British business community, the lesson is clear: the age of extractive development without accountability is ending. The Albanian protests are a microcosm of a global mood shift, where communities push back against opaque deals and reputational risk becomes a real cost. Those who ignore it may find their own names splashed across headlines.
As the sun sets over the Ionian Sea, the battle lines are drawn. The luxury resort will likely be built, but the question is whether its investors' reputations survive the construction.
