Friday, 12 June 2026
Rīga TV

World and Latvian news in one place

WorldPublished: 12 June 2026 at 02:27

Jared Kushner and His €1.4 Billion Project on Albania's Sazan Island

Jared Kushner's investment firm backs a luxury tourism project on Albania's Sazan Island, sparking nationwide protests from environmentalists.

Foto: Euronews

Jared Kushner, the son-in-law and former adviser to US President Donald Trump, is at the center of controversy over a major development project on Albania's Adriatic coast. His investment firm, Affinity Partners, supports a €1.4 billion plan to transform part of Sazan Island into a high-end resort featuring hotels, villas, apartments, a marina, and other luxury amenities. The project has triggered nationwide protests, with environmental groups and local activists arguing that it threatens sensitive ecosystems and lacks transparency regarding the role of investors.

Kushner is an American businessman best known as Trump's son-in-law and a prominent figure in the White House during Trump's first term from 2017 to 2021. He was involved in diplomatic efforts concerning Iran, Ukraine, and Russia, and participated in talks aimed at reducing tensions. In February 2026, Trump formally appointed Kushner as Special Envoy for Peace. Born on January 10, 1981, in Livingston, New Jersey, Kushner hails from a wealthy real estate family. He graduated from Harvard University and earned joint degrees from New York University before expanding his family's business and purchasing the New York Observer in 2006. He married Ivanka Trump in 2009.

Kushner played a key role in the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab states, though critics questioned their long-term impact. After leaving government in 2021, he founded Affinity Partners, a private equity firm that received substantial backing from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. His father, Charles Kushner, was pardoned by Trump and later appointed US ambassador to France and Monaco in 2025.

More in this category