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[POLITICS] · Albania · 100 sources

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama Faces Mass Protests Over Kushner‑Linked Resort

Since late May 2026, tens of thousands of Albanians have taken to the streets of Tirana each day to oppose a luxury coastal resort planned for the protected Zvernec‑Narta lagoon. The project, valued at about $4.6 billion, is backed by investors linked to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s son‑in‑law Jared Kushner and his sister‑in‑law Ivanka Trump.

Demonstrators have expanded their demands beyond the environmental issue, calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama and accusing his government of corruption, lack of transparency and mismanagement of public land. Police have responded with tear‑gas, pepper spray and water‑cannon; fifteen officers were injured and twenty‑five protesters detained during violent clashes in early July. A court later freed nineteen of those detainees, placing two under house arrest and releasing the rest.

Human‑rights groups have condemned the police’s “disproportionate use of force,” while the Albanian government insists the development complies with EU environmental standards and that the land remains publicly owned. The protests have become known locally as the “Flamingo Revolution,” reflecting concerns for the flamingos that breed in the lagoon. The movement now represents a broader expression of public frustration over rising living costs, health‑care and pension issues, and threatens the stability of Rama’s long‑ruling Socialist Party as Albania seeks EU accession.

Sources

- Hlavné správy [www.hlavnespravy.sk]
22 days ago