Investment in Sazan by Trump's son-in-law, Pocket in Politiko: Puts Albania on the map of competitive tourism

The well-known economic expert, Selami Xhepa, has commented in Politiko.al on the 1 billion dollar investment in the south of Albania, by Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of the former American president, Donald Trump.

According to Xhepa, if this project were to be realized in the future, Albania would be positioned on the map of competitive tourism in the region. According to him, this would make tourism a stable sector in leading economic growth.

" It is a very important project for the country's economy, which valorizes a dormant asset until today.

It places Albania on the map of competitive tourism in the region and makes tourism a sustainable sector in leading economic growth. In short, it would be very positive news if this project was realized in the future" , said Xhepa in Politiko.al.

Asked what it means for Albania and the country's economy, the fact that this project comes as an initiative of the company owned by Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of the former US president, Donald Trump, the expert says that before political connections, the most important is that the contract protects and respects the public interest.

" Kushner is already a well-known investor, despite being Trump's son-in-law. Political connections are certainly important, but the most important thing is that the contract protects and respects the public interest first" , declares Xhepa.

But how many Albanians can be employed in this 1 billion project?

Pocket does not prefer to dwell on details, until the end of the project. "The economic details are soon, as the project is still in the 'concept phase'" , he states briefly.

What is this project?

American company Affinity Partners, owned by Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of former US President Donald Trump, is in advanced discussions for three property development investments in the Balkans that could exceed $1 billion, according to Bloomberg.

Two of them are in Albania, in Sazan and Zvërnec, and one in Serbia.

The Miami-based private equity firm plans to transform Sazan Island, a former military base, into a luxury Aman-branded eco-resort community, Kushner said in an interview with Bloomberg News.

The Bloomberg article also published photos from Sazan's project, which presents luxury villas on the rocky part of the island, and a SPA center on the cliff, overlooking the sea, designed by the "Genesis" studio.

Who is Jared Kushner?

Kushner served as a senior adviser in the White House, in the period 2017-2021, when the US president was Donald Trump.

After leaving the government post, he founded the company Affinity, which, according to some American media reports, has assets worth more than 3 billion dollars.

In recent years, he and his wife, Ivanka Trump, visited Albania twice, where they also met with Prime Minister Edi Rama.

According to an article in the New York Times newspaper, Kushner's plans in the Balkans seem to have arisen in part through relationships built while Trump was in office./ S.Gj-Politiko.al/