According to AFP, scientists and environmental activists said that the preliminary construction of a large hotel project related to the Trump family has caused irreparable damage to a once pristine area along the Albanian coast.
According to satellite images obtained by AFP, during the 25 days in May, the construction team cleared a path, cut down all the trees in the area, and built a bridge that spans the waterway connecting Natta Lagoon and the ocean.
According to Folke Bernkastel-Wittem, head of the environmental non-governmental organization 'Ecological Albania' and marine biologist, "Bulldozers on the beaches have destroyed the nesting grounds for endangered species like the red sea turtle."
In addition, the construction of roads across sand dunes and logging have disrupted the habitats of many birds. The construction of key waterways between marshes and oceans has seriously disrupted the water circulation necessary to maintain wetland ecosystems.
Nikki said: “This is a complete slaughter of biodiversity.”
Currently, daily protests against this project have caused some construction work to be suspended. However, Ferdinand Bego, a professor at the University of Tirana, said that irreversible damage had already occurred here even before the official start of construction.
In June, Friedrich Siemer, a professor at the University of Vienna who visited that region, said that immediate measures must be taken to limit the ecological damage in that area. Such large-scale tourism projects “will completely destroy the natural integrity of this region, causing irreversible consequences.”
Environmental activists have long been concerned about this project, which involves a total investment of 4.5 billion euros (approximately 34.7 billion yuan). The project was first proposed by Trump's son-in-law, Kushner, in 2024. It involves the construction of several luxury hotels on a flamingo sanctuary and an island.
Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama defended the project, calling it "one of the best projects in Europe." He stated that the project would attract international capital and create jobs, helping Albania to catch up with neighboring countries such as Montenegro, Greece, and Croatia in the coastal tourism sector.
