The Flamingo Revolution in Albania: The Trump Family's Resort Project Has Sparked Mass Protests
Large-scale protests against the construction of luxury tourist resorts in nature reserves are gaining momentum in Albania. Particular outrage has been sparked by a project for a luxury resort linked to the company of Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump.
The latest protests took place in the village of Rjoll on the Adriatic coast. About 200 local residents dismantled metal fences and barbed wire around the future five-star resort, claiming that construction is taking place on land that was previously illegally seized from local communities.
The project in the Pish-Por-Narta nature reserve near Vlora has sparked the most outrage. Plans call for a 10,000-room resort in an area inhabited by flamingos and sea turtles and home to the Vjosa River delta—one of Europe’s last major wild rivers.
Environmentalists claim that the project was approved without a proper environmental impact assessment. According to them, sea turtle nesting sites have already been damaged during preparatory work.
The protest movement was dubbed the “Flamingo Revolution” and quickly expanded beyond environmental issues. Thousands of people are taking to the streets of Tirana and other cities, accusing the government of corruption, opaque land deals, and neglecting the interests of citizens in favor of large investors.
Among the protesters’ main demands are compensation for owners of expropriated land, transparency in the allocation of building plots, and political change in the country.
Protesters are also calling for the resignation of Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, who has been in power for 13 years. At the same time, criticism is also directed at opposition leader Sali Berisha. Some protesters view both politicians as symbols of a system that, following the fall of the communist regime, has failed to overcome corruption and social inequality.
Source: The Guardian.
In Albania, anti-corruption prosecutors have launched an investigation into a large-scale project to build a luxury tourist resort. The initiative is linked to the investment firm Affinity Partners, led by Jared Kushner — the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump. Law enforcement officials are examining possible violations during the project’s planning and implementation.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama stated that the country is prepared to agree even to a temporary restriction on the right of national veto if this helps accelerate accession to the European Union.
