Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has strongly defended the controversial luxury tourism project planned between the Narta Lagoon and Zvërnec Beach, while addressing public outrage, protests, and accusations of environmental damage.

His remarks come after days of demonstrations triggered by footage showing a protester being dragged by private security inside a fenced coastal construction zone. Rama called the incident “disgusting” and said police should have intervened immediately.

He confirmed that the private security company involved has had its license revoked, its personnel are under investigation or arrest, and senior police officials in Vlora have been dismissed or placed under inquiry. He also said the company responsible for installing the controversial barbed-wire fence will face significant financial penalties.

Rama stressed that the project has not yet received final construction approval and that no final architectural design has been officially approved, saying only a development framework exists at this stage. He said the fencing was legally permitted to secure private land while environmental and technical studies are ongoing.

The proposed development covers around 300 hectares of privately owned land between the Narta Lagoon and Zvërnec coastline, which the government says belongs to private entities and not the state.

Rama said investors linked to Jared Kushner first showed interest in 2023, and that earlier versions of the plan were rejected before being revised and scaled down under government conditions. He added that five international architecture studios are currently working on a redesigned masterplan, including firms led by Kengo Kuma and Jean Nouvel, while environmental impact studies are still underway.

He also said the lagoon itself is protected from direct development and that earlier marina plans were removed after government intervention.

At one point in his speech, Rama also pushed back against claims circulating online about foreign political or religious involvement in the project. He dismissed narratives suggesting that Israelis or Palestinians were linked to the development, and criticized what he described as “manipulated stories” about religious groups being involved. He also rejected claims that the project is connected to geopolitical agendas, including accusations spreading online about foreign powers using the area for political or environmental destruction.

Rama warned that misinformation has fueled public anger, saying some narratives have turned environmental concerns into broader political and ideological conspiracy theories.

He also referred to criticism coming from Greece regarding environmental concerns, suggesting that some external commentary is politically motivated rather than purely environmental.

Despite this, environmental organizations and local activists continue to oppose the project, warning that fencing, construction activity, and restricted access threaten biodiversity and public use of one of Albania’s most sensitive coastal ecosystems.

Rama argued that Albania must pursue high-end tourism to compete regionally, citing developments such as Costa Navarino in Greece and Porto Montenegro in Montenegro as examples of successful large-scale coastal investments.

He said the project could represent a €4 billion investment and potentially create around 10,000 jobs, with major international hotel brands reportedly interested.