Pop star Dua Lipa has publicly supported protests against a luxury resort project linked to the Trump family on Sazan Island, Albania [1].
The endorsement brings international attention to a contentious development deal involving Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. Local opposition and environmental advocates argue the project lacks necessary oversight and threatens the region's ecological integrity [1, 4].
Lipa said the public demonstrations were "inspiring" [1]. She said there is a concerning lack of transparency regarding the terms of the development and how the deal was secured [4]. Her comments align with local activists who have voiced concerns over the privatization of public land, and the potential for environmental degradation on the island [1, 3].
Sazan Island has become a focal point for these tensions as the proposed luxury resort seeks to transform the area into a high-end tourist destination [1, 2]. The project is backed by the Trump family, specifically through the interests of Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner [1].
Critics of the project said the agreement was made without sufficient public consultation or a clear disclosure of the financial arrangements [4]. The protests have grown in scale as residents and environmentalists seek to protect the island's natural state from commercial exploitation [2, 3].
Lipa, who has a strong connection to Albania, used her platform to amplify the voices of those opposing the development [1]. She said the movement for transparency and environmental protection is a critical issue for the country's future [4].
“"inspiring"”
The involvement of a global celebrity like Dua Lipa elevates a local land-use dispute into a broader conversation about foreign investment and government transparency in Albania. By linking the project to the Trump family, the opposition shifts the narrative from a simple environmental concern to a critique of political influence and the opacity of high-level business deals in the Balkans.
