EU Presses Albania on Environmental Alignment Amid Kushner Resort Controversy
The European Commission has called on Albania to urgently align with EU environmental legislation if it seeks to join the bloc, a spokesperson stated on Tuesday, addressing planned luxury resort backed by Jared Kushner. The project has sparked protests, dubbed the Flamingo Revolution, due to its location on a migratory bird stopover.
Albania's Stance on the Kushner Resort
Prime Minister Edi Rama confirmed in a Reuters interview that Albania will proceed with the resort, despite environmental concerns. He downplayed the protests, which have expanded into broader opposition to his 13-year rule, and assured that an environmental impact assessment will be conducted.
“We are very proud of our wildlife protection record. The European Commission has no reason to doubt our commitment to safeguarding nature,” Rama said.
EU Accession Conditions
The 27-member EU aims to admit new members, including Albania, Montenegro, and Ukraine, by 2030, contingent on compliance with EU laws, particularly environmental standards. EU spokesperson Guillaume Mercier emphasized that Albania must avoid actions undermining the accession benchmarks.
“We are in contact with Albanian authorities on this issue,” Mercier added. Kushner’s Affinity Partners, the company behind the resort, has not responded to requests for comment.
