Construction of a Trump-linked 4.5 billion-euro resort at Albania's Narta lagoon sparked nightly protests in Tirana after satellite imagery and field inspections documented significant damage during a 25-day building spree in May. Scientists reported harm to loggerhead turtle nesting sites, bird habitats and coastal dunes, warning recovery may be difficult or impossible. The controversy has expanded into a broader debate over transparency, alleged corruption, EU accession rules and public subsidies, and international scrutiny has reportedly paused some work.
Tear Gas and Nightly Protests as Trump-Linked Resort Ravages Albania’s Protected Narta Lagoon
Photo Credit: Google Earth
International attention has turned to Albania's southwestern coast after construction on a luxury resort linked to the Trump family broke into the protected Narta lagoon, prompting nightly protests in the capital and a police response that included tear gas and water cannon.
What Happened
Satellite imagery and field assessments published by Türkiye Today, and on-the-ground scientific inspections, show that a concentrated 25-day construction period in May created a bridge over the channel that connects the lagoon to the sea, removed trees and cut a road through the protected site.
Ecological Impact
Scientists who visited the area in June reported damage to loggerhead turtle nesting sites, bird habitat and coastal dunes. Marine biologist and EcoAlbania head Olsi Nika described the work as 'an absolute biodiversity massacre.' Experts warn that once dunes are flattened and breeding grounds disrupted, recovery can be difficult or impossible.
Political and Social Fallout
The proposed 4.5 billion-euro (about $5.1 billion) resort was first announced in 2024 by Jared Kushner. Ivanka Trump has promoted the property on a podcast, describing it as 'five miles of beach front directly across from the island with a beautiful peninsula with a lagoon on one side, the ocean on the other.' Public anger grew after barbed wire and private security crews appeared on site; daily demonstrations in Tirana have escalated into clashes outside parliament.
‘The harm is largely irreparable,’ said Professor Ferdinand Bego of the University of Tirana. Professor Friedrich Schiemer of the University of Vienna warned the project could 'irreparably compromise its natural integrity.'
Wider Concerns
Protesters link the environmental destruction to broader worries about transparency and corruption in Albania, amplified by controversy over a planned 4 million-euro public subsidy for a Kanye West concert in Tirana. High-profile figures including pop star Dua Lipa have publicly backed the protesters.
International Response
In July, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said the EU and Albania agreed earlier this year to repeal 2024 changes to the country’s protected-areas law and to drop a separate strategic-investments law amid environmental and climate concerns tied to Albania’s accession process. Daily demonstrations and sustained international scrutiny have reportedly paused some construction work at the Narta site.
Why It Matters
Healthy coastal ecosystems deliver tourism and fisheries revenue, natural flood protection and community identity. Short-term construction gains can erode those long-term services, and scientists warn the window to prevent further, possibly irreversible damage is closing fast.
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