Albania protests erupt over Kushner-Trump luxury resort plans

Mass protests, dubbed the ‘Flamingo Revolution’, have spread across Albania following plans by Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump to develop luxury tourism complexes in protected coastal areas. The proposed projects include a €1.4 billion investment on Sazan Island via Atlantic Incubation Partners LLC, linked to Kushner’s Affinity Partners, and a €4.7 billion project in the Narta lagoon near Zvërnec.

While the government of Prime Minister Edi Rama views these developments as essential for economic growth and job creation, demonstrators argue the projects threaten vital ecosystems, including major migratory stops for flamingos. The movement has evolved from environmental concerns into a broader political uprising against systemic corruption and democratic backsliding.

Protesters are demanding the repeal of 2024 laws that eased protections for sensitive zones and the abolition of strategic investment laws that accelerate project approvals. The unrest has seen tens of thousands of citizens take to the streets in Tirana, reflecting deep-seated frustration with a political class accused of prioritizing foreign capital over national rights and environmental preservation.