According to The Serbian Economist, a contract has been signed in neighboring Romania for the design and construction of a pedestrian suspension bridge across the Rebra River valley near the commune of Parva in Bistrița-Năsăud County, Transylvania.
The future bridge will be approximately 620 m long. It will span the Rebra Valley and connect two mountain slopes near the entrance to the Rodna Mountains National Park. According to Romanian media reports, the bridge will be 200–300 m above the valley.
The project could become one of the highest pedestrian suspension bridges in Europe and one of Romania’s new tourist attractions.
The project is funded, in part, by European funds under the Nord-Vest 2021–2027 regional program.
In addition to the bridge itself, the project includes the development of tourism infrastructure, specifically access to the site and landscaping of the surrounding area. In particular, Romanian publications mention the reconstruction of Dealul Tisei Street.
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The Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine is developing a project for the construction of an ice arena in Kyiv on the grounds of the Ivan Poddubny Olympic Professional College—a separate structural unit of the National University of Physical Education and Sports of Ukraine.
“Equipment salvaged from Kherson, which was previously purchased with 70 million hryvnias from the state budget, has already been transferred for the future arena. It has been preserved, is in working condition, and can be used once the necessary infrastructure is in place. The next step should be the construction of a frame-type arena. The relevant project has already been developed and is currently undergoing expert review, which is scheduled to be completed by August 1 of this year,” the ministry stated in a report following a visit to the college by representatives of the Ministry of Sports and the State Agency “Ukrsportobezpechennia.”
It is noted that the launch of the ice arena will allow the college to open two new winter sports departments—short track and figure skating.
“This approach will improve the training of winter sports athletes, taking into account, in particular, the lessons learned from the current Winter Olympic Games,” the ministry noted.
The ministry notes that this is not just about a single facility, but about introducing a more systematic approach to restoring sports infrastructure in Ukraine.
In particular, a mechanism for attracting additional funding through the Sports Recovery Foundation is being developed for this purpose.
Prices for construction and installation work (CIW) in Ukraine rose by 19.9% in April 2026 compared to April 2025, according to the State Statistics Service (SSS).
According to the statistics agency, prices rose in all segments of construction from April 2025 to April 2026: in residential construction by 16.7% (up 2.1% from the previous month), in non-residential construction by 20.8% (2.9%), and in civil engineering by 20.5% (3.5%).
From January to April of this year compared to the same period last year, construction material prices rose by 12.4%, specifically in the residential sector by 11.1%, in the non-residential sector by 13%, and in civil engineering by 12.4%.
As reported, in 2025, construction material prices rose by 5.8% compared to the previous year, in 2024 by 7.9%, and in 2023 by 15.8%.
CONSTRUCTION, CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS, PRICES, State Statistics Service, UKRAINE
According to Serbian Economist, a project to build a large resort on the Albanian coast linked to Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump has faced protests and environmental criticism due to its proximity to protected natural areas inhabited by flamingos, sea turtles, and other species.
The project in question is a tourism development on Albania’s Adriatic coast, in the area of Vlorë, Sazan Island, and the Vjosa-Narta zone. Thousands of Albanian residents took to the streets in Tirana to protest against a resort complex worth approximately EUR 1.4 billion linked to Jared Kushner’s investment firm, Affinity Partners. The project involves the creation of a luxury tourist complex on one of the most valuable stretches of the Albanian coast.
Environmentalists’ main concerns stem from the fact that construction could impact natural areas near the Narta Lagoon and the Vjosa-Narta region, which is considered a critical habitat for migratory birds and other species. Activists point out that the region is home to pink flamingos, seals, and sea turtles, and that large-scale development could damage coastal ecosystems.
BirdLife International stated that work related to the resort threatens one of Europe’s most important coastal habitats. The organization claims that construction and preparatory work could damage areas critical for biodiversity and migratory birds.
The protests have been dubbed the “flamingo revolution” by Albanian and international media. Protesters are using flamingos as a symbol of the protection of the natural area. According to media reports, the protests intensified after fences and construction equipment appeared on part of the site, as well as following reports of clashes between activists and security guards.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama defends the project, stating that it is important for the development of high-end tourism and attracting foreign investment. According to Reuters and AP, authorities view the development as part of a strategy to transform Albania into a more prominent destination for premium tourism on the Adriatic.
Critics, for their part, point to the need for greater transparency, environmental impact assessments, and public debate. At the heart of the controversy are not only flamingos and sea turtles, but also a broader question: can Albania develop luxury tourism without losing natural areas that are themselves part of the country’s tourist appeal?
The project has also taken on a political dimension due to its connection to the family of U.S. President Donald Trump. Jared Kushner is his son-in-law, and Ivanka Trump has publicly supported the idea of developing a tourism project in Albania. At the same time, international media emphasize that this is a private development project linked to Kushner’s investment firm, not a U.S. government project.
For Albania, the conflict surrounding the resort has become a test for its entire model of tourism development. The country is actively promoting the Adriatic and Ionian coasts as an alternative to the more expensive Mediterranean markets, but the growth in investment is increasing pressure on natural areas, infrastructure, and local communities.
Saudi Arabia has suspended large-scale work on the construction of The Line—a key component of the futuristic city of NEOM—until at least 2030.
The Line was conceived as one of the most ambitious urban development projects in the world: a linear city 170 km long and up to 500 m high, free of cars and traditional streets, designed to accommodate millions of residents. The project was intended to become a symbol of the Saudi Vision 2030 program and Saudi Arabia’s economic transition from oil dependence to technology, tourism, logistics, and innovative infrastructure.
According to Semafor, NEOM has postponed further major work on The Line until after 2030. Investments in a number of other project areas have also been postponed or frozen, including some tourist facilities on the Red Sea coast and the Trojena mountain resort, which was previously planned as a venue for the 2029 Winter Asian Games.
The reasons for the revision include rising costs, the need to reallocate resources, and a more pragmatic approach to implementing Saudi Vision 2030 projects. Instead of the most complex and expensive futuristic facilities, the priority may shift toward ports, logistics, industrial infrastructure, data centers, and facilities that yield economic benefits more quickly.
The Line and the entire NEOM project have been controversial from the start due to their scale, cost, technical complexity, and environmental risks. It was initially stated that the city would be able to accommodate up to 9 million residents, but the plans were later revised several times. In 2024, The Guardian reported that by 2030, only a small section is actually planned to be built instead of the originally announced 170 km.
The suspension of The Line is part of a broader review of Saudi megaprojects. Reuters previously reported on the suspension of work on Mukaab—a giant cubic skyscraper in Riyadh costing about $50 billion, which is also part of the Vision 2030 portfolio.
For the real estate and construction market, the decision regarding The Line is an important signal: even the largest state-backed projects in the Gulf countries are facing funding constraints, a shortage of investors, rising construction costs, and the need to demonstrate economic viability.
At the same time, Saudi Arabia is not abandoning NEOM entirely. The project will likely develop in a more realistic format, with a focus on individual functional zones, industry, logistics, maritime infrastructure, digital services, and energy projects.
NEOM is a megaproject in northwestern Saudi Arabia, announced in 2017.
It includes The Line, the Oxagon industrial cluster, the Trojena mountain resort, the Sindalah island tourism project, and other zones. The project is funded with the participation of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, and is part of the Saudi Vision 2030 strategy.
According to Serbian Economist, Jared Kushner’s company may demand up to EUR50 million in compensation from Serbia for failing to fulfill the terms of the contract regarding the construction of a hotel and residential complex on the site of the former General Staff building in central Belgrade, said Marinka Tepić, vice-chair of the opposition Freedom and Justice Party.
According to her, the contract between the Serbian government and Kushner’s company stipulated obligations on Serbia’s part regarding the preparation of the site for the project, but these were not fulfilled. Tepić claims that because of this, Kushner’s company may seek compensation of EUR50 million.
So far, this is merely a statement by an opposition politician, not a publicly confirmed lawsuit or an official claim by Kushner’s company.
The project involved the site of the former General Staff complex in Belgrade, which was damaged during the NATO bombings in 1999. The complex had long held cultural heritage status, but in 2024, the Serbian government removed its protected status, paving the way for the development project.
According to media reports, the Serbian side agreed to transfer the site to a company linked to Kushner under a long-term 99-year lease. The project called for the construction of a hotel, apartments, and office and commercial spaces in one of Belgrade’s most prominent locations.
The initiative sparked strong opposition from Serbian opposition groups, architects, and activists. For many Belgrade residents, the General Staff building remains not just a ruined structure in the city center, but a symbol of the 1999 NATO bombings and a reminder of Serbia’s modern history. Opponents of the project demanded that the complex retain its memorial and cultural status rather than be turned into commercial real estate.
The situation became more complicated following an investigation into the documents on the basis of which the complex was stripped of its cultural monument status. Serbian prosecutors had previously charged current and former officials in a case involving the possible forgery of documents used to remove the General Staff building’s protected status. Following this, Western media reported that Kushner had abandoned the project amid protests and legal issues surrounding the site.
Jared Kushner is an American entrepreneur, founder of the investment firm Affinity Partners, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, and former senior advisor to the White House during Trump’s first presidential term.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić sharply criticized the project’s collapse and stated that the country had lost a major investment.
According to him, the project involved at least EUR750 million in investments and thousands of jobs. Vučić promised to personally file criminal complaints against those who, in his words, participated in a “campaign” to destroy the project.
For Serbia, a potential claim for compensation marks a new phase in a politically sensitive case. On the one hand, the authorities presented the project as a major investment that could revitalize one of the most prominent locations in central Belgrade. On the other hand, opponents of the project believe that the state should not have transferred a symbolically important site to a private foreign investor for a hotel and commercial development.
The key question now is whether Kushner’s company will file a formal claim against Serbia and on what grounds. No official announcement from Kushner’s company regarding the filing of a lawsuit or a claim for EUR50 million has been published in open sources at this time.
