Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner's Billion-Dollar Vision: Sazan Island Becomes 'Trump Island'
Sazan Island, a Mediterranean gem on the brink of becoming the ultimate playground for the ultra-rich. And who's behind this lavish development? None other than Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, the power couple with a knack for making deals.
As the news breaks about their $1.4 billion resort project on the Albanian island, locals are left wondering: what will happen to Sazan's decaying Soviet-era military outposts? Will they be preserved or bulldozed to make way for luxury villas and five-star amenities?
One local, Engjell Rrapaj, is hoping for a balance between progress and preservation. As the founder and CEO of BoatvenTours, he takes tourists on boat rides around Sazan, showing them the remnants of Albania's communist past. His father, now 71, did his military training on the island in the 1970s under dictator Enver Hoxha.
Rrapaj recalls asking his dad if he ever wanted to visit Sazan again. The response? "Take me there once it has been flattened." But for most Albanians, Sazan is a place of nostalgia and history, not something to be forgotten. In fact, Rrapaj believes that preserving the island's unique look and military architecture could be a major drawcard for high-end tourists.
Meanwhile, Kushner's partner, Asher Abehsera, has promised that their hotel will "sculpted or even scalloped by nature," blending seamlessly into Sazan's lush vegetation. The plans are ambitious: 111 acres of former military base turned luxury resort, with cliff-top dwellings resembling Hobbit homes.
But the project hasn't been without controversy. Critics have accused Kushner of using his connections to influence the Albanian government's decision-making process. Virginia Canter, a former White House ethics lawyer, told The New York Times that this looks like favoritism, an attempt by the Albanian government to curry favor with the current administration.
Kushner himself has pushed back against these claims, saying he never met Prime Minister Edi Rama when he was in government. But even if he had, it's not a conflict of interest, according to Kushner. People who serve in government build different relationships, he claims.
Prime Minister Rama is ecstatic about the project, calling Sazan "a gift" that will drive luxury tourism and economic growth. He sees this as an opportunity for Albania to shine, to compete with Italy, Croatia, and Greece in the high-end tourism market.
But not everyone is convinced. Tourism Minister Mirela Kumbaro worries that Albania's small size and lacking infrastructure make it unsustainable to accommodate the sheer number of tourists. She believes the focus should be on quality over volume, creating a luxury product that will bring profits without causing chaos.
As the project moves forward, locals like Rrapaj are holding their breaths, hoping that Sazan won't become a playground for the wealthy elite at the expense of its history and natural beauty. Will this once-abandoned island be transformed into a luxurious getaway or preserved as a unique cultural heritage site? Only time will tell.
The Scholarly Note: For more on the latest developments in Sazan's transformation, keep an eye out for our future articles.
