EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said Albania has assured the European Commission that the €1.4 billion tourism project linked to Jared Kushner will fully comply with EU environmental standards.
The Albanian government pledged to carry out a full environmental impact assessment. It also committed to following all EU rules on environmental and nature protection.
Albania remains one of the frontrunners in the EU accession process. The country ranks just behind Montenegro in membership negotiations. However, Albania must continue aligning its laws with EU legislation, including environmental regulations.
At the same time, the tourism project has sparked public protests across Albania. Opponents argue that the development could affect a protected ecological area on the Adriatic coast.
Last week, European Commission enlargement spokesperson Guillaume Mercier urged Albanian authorities to act quickly and avoid any risk to the country’s EU membership bid. His remarks prompted strong reactions in Tirana, where critics argued that he had prejudged the outcome of the ongoing environmental review.
Kos struck a more balanced tone. She stressed that citizens have the right to protest and described this right as a fundamental democratic freedom in both EU member states and candidate countries.
She also highlighted the safeguards built into the accession process. According to Kos, the EU continuously monitors candidate countries and requires them to meet strict legal and political obligations. Therefore, the process provides strong guarantees for the protection of Albania’s environment.
Earlier, the European Commission raised concerns about legal changes adopted in February 2025. Those amendments introduced special exemptions for investments worth more than €50 million. The project supported by Affinity Partners qualifies under those rules and received special access from Albanian authorities.
Kos concluded by emphasizing the value of foreign investment. However, she made clear that investors must follow EU legislation and environmental standards at every stage of implementation.
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