On Air Now

Paddy in the Morning

6:00am - 10:00am

  • 01723 336444

Now Playing

Jared Kushner vs the Flamingos - Albanians protest against luxury resort plans

A massive coastal resort development in Albania linked to President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner has sparked days of protests.

Police have fired water cannon and clashed with demonstrators in the capital, Tirana, this week as public anger grows.

Plans for the luxury project boast hotels, apartments, villas and a marina across two sites: a coastal development in the Narta Lagoon area, which is a wildlife reserve, and a smaller resort on a nearby uninhabited island.

The wildlife reserve is a key stopover for migratory birds including flamingos.

Protesters have carried cardboard cut-outs of flamingos and the pink bird has become an unlikely symbol of resistance.

In an interview this week with American podcaster David Senra, Ivanka Trump said she and her husband discovered the site by accident.

"We were on a friend's boat, and we stopped for a swim. Effectively, that's how we found it," she said.

"We swam to the island. We went on a hike, barefoot all the way up to the top, and we were just captivated."

Protest groups fear the sections of Albania's pristine coastline could be snapped up by powerful investors.

There was anger also after a video emerged that showed an activist being dragged by a private security guard while demonstrating at the site.

Albania's national anti-corruption agency says it has opened an investigation into the project, but has not provided details.

Sky News

(c) Sky News 2026: Jared Kushner vs the Flamingos - Albanians protest against luxury resort plans

Want to See More from This is the Coast?

Click here to set This is the Coast as a preferred source on Google search.

Love living on the Yorkshire Coast? So do we.

This is the Coast is 100% locally owned and operated. We don’t rely on public funding or government grants—we rely on our community.

Producing trusted, fact-checked local news takes time and resources. If you value having a dedicated team of professional journalists fighting for our region, please consider supporting us.

Help keep the Yorkshire Coast informed for the price of a coffee a month.

Support Local Journalism Today

More from Top Stories

Follow Us

Get Our Apps

Our Apps are now available for iOS, Android and Smart Speakers.

  • Available on the App Store
  • Available on Google Play
  • Just ask Amazon Alexa
  • Available on Roku

Today's Weather

  • Scarborough

    Sunny intervals

    High: 18°C | Low: 11°C

  • Filey

    Sunny intervals

    High: 18°C | Low: 11°C

  • Whitby

    Light rain shower

    High: 17°C | Low: 11°C

  • Bridlington

    Sunny intervals

    High: 18°C | Low: 11°C

  • Hornsea

    Sunny intervals

    High: 18°C | Low: 10°C

  • Driffield

    Sunny intervals

    High: 18°C | Low: 10°C

News