European Commission issues formal warning to Albania on 7 June: Kushner resort project puts EU accession at direct risk

The European Commission issued a formal public warning to Albania on 7 June 2026, stating that the proposed coastal resort development in the Vjosa-Narta protected landscape puts Albania's European Union accession process at direct risk. A Commission spokesperson told Politico: "Albania should refrain from actions that could undermine the fulfilment of the closing benchmarks," adding that "Albania is expected to align fully with EU legislation in this area, including the Birds and Habitats Directives." The Commission noted that the project "could complicate the country's EU accession process" by placing Albania on a collision course with Chapter 27, the EU accession chapter covering environment, nature and biodiversity. The Commission confirmed it had made direct contact with Albania's Environment and Tourism Minister Sofjan Jaupaj, who told Brussels that construction had been suspended and that an environmental impact assessment would proceed with civil society involvement — a claim disputed by environmental organisations on the ground. European Council President Antonio Costa had earlier stated that Albania is expected to align its environmental legislation fully with the European acquis as a condition for membership. The European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee separately included language in its 2026 Albania progress report explicitly calling for repeal of Albania's 2024 Law 21, which removed the legal ban on construction in IUCN Category I and II protected areas and is the key enabling legislation behind the resort approvals. Albania opened EU accession negotiations on Cluster 4, including Chapter 27, in September 2025.