Thousands rally in Albania in largest protest yet against Kushner resort

Protesters chant ‘Albania is not for sale’ arsenic demonstrations swell against Kushner-backed luxury edifice plan.

Thousands of Albanians person taken to the streets of the country’s capital, Tirana, successful the ⁠largest protestation yet against a luxury edifice improvement backed by United States President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

Protesters connected Wednesday held signs that said “Albania is not for sale” and chanted “New Albania” extracurricular Prime Minister Edi Rama’s bureau arsenic the assemblage stretched fractional a mile down 1 of the city’s main boulevards.

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The project, expected to outgo astir 5 ⁠billion euros ($5.8bn), has provoked outrage successful the Balkan state due to the fact that of its determination adjacent a protected wetland location to flamingos, seals and oversea turtle nesting sites.

Critics person besides raised concerns astir a deficiency of transparency surrounding the plans designed by overseas investors.

“This is the premier illustration of what has been happening successful Albania for the past 35 years,” protester Leand Lakrori told the Reuters quality agency. “So today, capable is enough.”

Protesters clasp inflatable flamingos arsenic portion of a ‘Flamingo Revolution’ against Jared Kushner’s planned spot successful Albania, June 10, 2026 [AFP]

The protests, which erupted successful the colony of Zvernec connected the confederate coastline wherever the edifice is planned, person been dubbed the Flamingo Revolution, successful notation to the protected wetland astatine the improvement tract that serves arsenic a migratory halt for the birds.

Rama has sought to play down the ecological concerns, saying an biology interaction appraisal would beryllium completed and that the task would proceed responsibly.

“We are precise arrogant of what we person done for the wildlife successful Albania,” helium said. “The ‌European Commission has nary crushed to uncertainty our steadfast volition to support immoderate has to beryllium protected erstwhile it comes to wildlife and nature.”

EU warning

The European Union, which has said it could admit Albania and different Balkan countries by 2030, warned that alignment with European biology instrumentality would beryllium a information of accession.

“Albania should refrain from enactment that could undermine the fulfilment of the closing benchmark,” said EU spokesperson Guillaume Mercier. “We expect the Albanian authorities to enactment without delay.”

The protests are the latest trial for Rama, who has been successful powerfulness since 2013 and who galore present blasted for not eradicating wide corruption oregon doing capable to amended basal services similar healthcare.

Rama said helium has made strides to woody with corruption by creating a peculiar prosecution office, which has opened a bid of ⁠high-profile investigations.

Still, clashes besides broke retired earlier this twelvemonth arsenic protesters demanded the resignation of Rama’s deputy, ⁠Belinda Balluku, implicit alleged corruption. Rama fired Balluku, but ⁠the mistrust remains.

“I’m present to protest, to decorativeness this saga of the Albanian government. It’s ever the aforesaid 2 parties,” protester Fabio Bracaj told Reuters. “We privation a caller era. We privation a amended country.”

The edifice improvement is the ‌brainchild of Kushner and his wife, Ivanka Trump, who described falling successful emotion with Albania a fewer years agone portion visiting connected a yacht.

Opposition ignited past period erstwhile developers erected a obstruction astir portion of the Zvernec site. The obstruction was aboriginal removed pursuing an outcry.

Rama has said the task volition spell up regardless.