I
n the shadow of a US president's grand vision for the Middle East, a quiet corner of Albania is being transformed into a luxury playground. The Kushners, a family with ties to Donald Trump, are spearheading a multi-billion-dollar development on the country's southern coast, where pristine beaches and untouched wilderness will soon give way to futuristic hotels and sleek villas.

    The project, which has won the backing of Prime Minister Edi Rama, promises to bring much-needed jobs and wealth to the region. But environmentalists warn that it will come at a devastating cost. The area is home to some of Europe's last remaining wild rivers, as well as a staggering array of bird species and loggerhead turtles.

    As bulldozers begin to clear the land, locals are torn between their desire for economic gain and concerns about the impact on their natural heritage. "We need luxury, just like the desert needs water," Rama said last year, echoing the Kushners' vision for a high-end tourist destination.

    But critics say that the government's decision to grant strategic investment status to the project was a cynical attempt to curry favor with Trump. The island of Sazan, which will be transformed into a luxury resort, is a former Soviet submarine base and a sensitive military site. "It's crazy," said Joni Vorpsi, an ornithologist who has spent years studying the area's unique ecosystem.

    As the project takes shape, conservationists are sounding the alarm about the potential consequences of unchecked development in one of Europe's last remaining natural deltas. "This is not just a question of preserving a beautiful landscape," said Annette Spangenburg, head of conservation for EuroNatur. "It's about maintaining the integrity of an entire ecosystem."

    The Kushners' project is just the beginning. Plans are already underway to build an international airport on the site of a former military airstrip, which will bring even more tourists and development to the area. As one local resident put it, "We're not against progress, but we want it to be sustainable." But with the government seemingly hell-bent on transforming Albania's coastline into a luxury playground, it remains to be seen whether that vision will ever become a reality.

    In the midst of this transformation, a small village is holding out hope for a better future. Natasha Kota, 68, and Melpo Subashi, 72, are two elderly women who live in Zvernec, a village close to the development site. They welcome the prospect of jobs and economic growth, but also worry about the impact on their community.

    "We used to farm this land," said Kota, "but none of the young people around here want to work in agriculture." Subashi added, "As long as we get some money, we are happy with the resort. We have land that's not being used so we are ready to sell it."

    But for many Albanians, the Kushners' project represents a Faustian bargain – economic gain at the cost of their country's natural heritage. As one local resident put it, "We're giving away Albania's only island. It's crazy."