Jared Kushner has spoken publicly about the Zvërnec resort for the first time, months after the project sparked some of the largest protests Albania has seen in years.

In a lengthy “fact check” published on Thursday in response to a New Yorker investigation into his business dealings, Trump’s son-in-law defended the project and made a direct appeal to Albanians.

“There are no guarantees,” Kushner wrote. “We are taking that risk because we believe in Albania and we believe in Albanians.”

But the same statement confirmed that the project has not been approved. Kushner wrote that it “will have to go through all relevant Albanian regulatory and environmental processes and earn the approvals necessary to proceed.”

At the centre of his defence is the land itself. “The land was not awarded to us by the Albanian government,” he wrote. According to Kushner, his partnership bought it from a private party for €230 million, among the highest prices paid in the region for a deal of that scale.

“This is an investment, not something we were given,” he added, saying the project could reach around €4 billion in investment if it succeeds.

Kushner did not mention the protests or the “Flamingo Revolution” by name. He wrote that the partnership “has engaged extensively with the local community in Vlore,” adding: “We also understand that people have legitimate questions and concerns.”

The resort is planned near the Vjosa-Narta lagoon, a protected wetland home to flamingos and migratory birds. Kushner promised to “leave this extraordinary part of Albania greener, more biodiverse and environmentally stronger.”

He also rejected claims that the project was meant to win favour with Donald Trump. His interest began in summer 2021, he said, when he was a private citizen and long before Trump announced his 2024 campaign. The Vlora airport, he added, had already been approved before he first saw the project.

Kushner described himself as a minority partner focused on vision and design, with no day-to-day role. The project is run by his longtime associate Asher Abehsera, and the opportunity was first brought to him by the Albanian Kastrati family.

The statement does not address how the land changed hands before his partners bought it. In July, Reuters reported that Albanian prosecutors were investigating businessman Artur Shehu, who sold property to a company linked to the project, over suspected forged documents. Shehu denies wrongdoing, and Reuters found no indication that Kushner or his partners were aware of any irregularities.

“Ultimately, Albania will decide whether the project proceeds,” Kushner wrote. “If approved, I hope we can create something Albanians are proud of.”