Italian media: Ivanka Trump buys Saban Island for $1 billion

Saban Island, a former military base, is part of the Karaburun-Sazan Sea Park, and since 2015 it has been opened to visitors, while some of it continues to be preserved as a military zone. During the communist regime, the island had been used for military exercises and operations, and still remains full of bunkers and tunnels.

Negotiations on the purchase of the island took place without the knowledge of Albanian residents and parliamentarians, until the 1.4 billion-euro deal was reached, which became public. According to reports, the main challenge for the project is clearing land from unbroken mines and military remains located on the island report “Euronews Albania”, broadcast Periscope.

In addition to Saban, the Affinity Group, which has managed negotiations, has also planned another project in Serbia, where it has expressed interest in transforming the former defence ministry's Belgrade seat into a luxury hotel.

Ideas of transforming the island into a luxury resort have caused concerns by environmental and scientific groups concerned about the impact this project could have on the area's natural and cultural environment. In fact, Albanians have begun to call the island “The Trump”, a name that shows the influence of the Trump family on the development of this major project.

In a move, President Trump expressed enthusiasm for the initiative, naming it “extraordinary”, but stressing that the biggest challenge remains cleaning up the area and securing security for future visitors. /Periscope