Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner buy Albania’s Sazan Island
Italian media, citing The Guardian, have reported that Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, the daughter and son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, have purchased Sazan Island in Albania for more than one billion dollars, CE Report quotes Kosova Press.
Known for its natural beauty and military history, the island has attracted the couple’s interest, and they plan to transform it into a luxury resort.
Sazan Island, a former military base, is part of the Karaburun-Sazan Marine National Park and has been open to visitors since 2015, while part of it remains a restricted military zone. During the communist era, the island was used for training and military operations, and it is still littered with bunkers and tunnels.
The negotiations for the island’s purchase reportedly took place without the knowledge of Albanian residents or lawmakers, until the €1.4 billion agreement was finalized and made public. According to reports, the main challenge for the project will be clearing unexploded mines and other military remnants from the site.
In addition to Sazan, Affinity Group, which handled the negotiations, is also planning another project in Serbia, expressing interest in transforming the former Ministry of Defense headquarters in Belgrade into a luxury hotel.
Plans to transform Sazan into a luxury resort have raised concerns among environmental groups and scientists worried about the impact on the area’s natural and cultural heritage. Albanians have already begun calling it “Trump Island,” a name that reflects the Trump family’s influence on the development.
In a podcast, President Trump expressed enthusiasm for the initiative, calling it “extraordinary,” but noting that the biggest challenge will be clearing the site and ensuring safety for future visitors.
