What we know so far
The resort and development projects across Albania's protected coastal and island zones are held through a layered corporate structure spanning Albania, Qatar, the Netherlands, Bulgaria and the United States. Albania Land Development SHPK, the entity that purchased land titles in the Zvërnec area with approximately 195 million dollars frozen then released by SPAK, is linked to Qatari brothers Moutaz and Ramez Al-Khayyat, principals of UrbaCon Trading and Contracting. The development permit at Zvërnec is held by Zvërnec South Adriatic Development, whose reported beneficial owners are Nikita Maximovich Vinogradov, a Dutch national, and Zoya Georgieva Gyurova, a Bulgarian national. Sazan Real Estate Development LLC, developing the Sazan Island component, is chaired by Asher Abehsera and is affiliated with Atlantic Incubation Partners LLC, which holds ties to Affinity Partners, connected to Jared Kushner. Balkan Insight reported on 4 June 2026 the identification of additional figures behind the project, including a businessman with alleged links to organised crime networks and a former judge who resigned rather than submit to mandatory asset transparency scrutiny. The Serbian precedent is being closely monitored: Kushner previously pursued a comparable project in Belgrade, Serbian prosecutors charged four officials with abuse of office and document forgery, and the project was subsequently withdrawn. Albanian investigators and international journalists are tracking whether a similar sequence may unfold.
Albania / International
Source organisations and public authorities named in the linked records.
7 linked evidence records are listed below.
The report is not treated as fully verified until stronger official documents or independent confirmation are available.
Further official documents, exact location evidence and independent confirmation should be added as they become available.
This report documents currently available information about Albania / International. All documented material is kept separate from claims that still need checking. The page should be read together with the linked evidence records, official source documents and verification notes listed below.
The primary sources for this report include Balkan Insight / OCCRP / Al Jazeera / Tirana Examiner / OCNAL. Each item listed in the evidence table below carries its own source attribution and verification status. Where official documents exist they are linked directly.
The current verification status is Partly Verified. Save Albania assigns this label when available source documents, location evidence and independent confirmation are sufficient to support the report. The status will be updated as new evidence is submitted or becomes available through public records.
Readers are encouraged to submit additional documents, maps, photographs or source links using the form in the sidebar. All submissions are reviewed before being added to the evidence record. Nothing is published without a source check.
Evidence linked to this article
| Evidence | Type | Date | Status | Source | View |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resorti Turistik - Ishulli i Sazanit | Official strategic investor decision | 30/12/2024 | Verified | AIDA / Komiteti i Investimeve Strategjike | View open_in_new |
| Amendment/publication linked to Sazan strategic investor decision | Official amendment/publication | 30/12/2025 | Verified | AIDA / Komiteti i Investimeve Strategjike | View open_in_new |
| AIDA public request register mentioning Sazan/Atlantic documents | Public information register | 2025 | Partly verified | AIDA | View open_in_new |
| Harta Vlore - protected areas map | Official protected-area map | 2022 | Verified | AKZM | View open_in_new |
| Reuters/AP/Le Monde/BIRN/Reporter/etc links | Investigation/media links | 2021-2026 | Partly verified / unverified claims | Media organisations | View open_in_new |
| Reporter.al – Unexploded ordnance risk around Sazan resort plans | Investigation/news report | 15 May 2026 | Partly verified / needs official documents | Reporter.al / BIRN Albania | View open_in_new |
| Citizens.al – “Darka e Sazanit” / public wealth and Sazan-Zvërnec questions | Investigation/news report | 22 January 2026 | Partly verified / investigative lead | Citizens.al | View open_in_new |
Timeline
- AIDA public request register mentioning Sazan/Atlantic documents
- Harta Vlore - protected areas map
- Reporter.al – Unexploded ordnance risk around Sazan resort plans
- Citizens.al – “Darka e Sazanit” / public wealth and Sazan-Zvërnec questions
Why it matters
Protected areas, coastal habitats and public land decisions affect biodiversity, communities and Albania's long-term natural heritage. Clear source links help journalists, NGOs, researchers and international readers check the record for themselves.
What is still missing
Further official documents, exact location evidence and independent confirmation should be added as they become available.
