Luxury resort plan sparks protests in Albania

Protests in the centre of Albania's capital, Tirana, are not exactly unusual. The opposition Democratic Party (PD) stage them so often that they could almost be classified as an offbeat tourist attraction. But this week's nightly rallies in front of Prime Minister Edi Rama's office have been different - targeting US President's Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as well as the Socialist Party government. The focus of the anger is a proposed tourism project on Albania's Adriatic coast. Kushner's Affinity Partners would be one of the investors – and Rama has welcomed his interest with open arms. The same cannot be said of the protesters, who outwardly appear to have nothing to do with the mainstream opposition. To make that clear, some participants have been carrying placards calling for the imprisonment of PD leader Sali Berisha – who is facing separate corruption charges – as well as Rama. The protesters are using a pink flamingo as their emblem. It echoes the deployment of a yellow duck in a long-running civic protest movement in Serbia's capital, Belgrade. But in Albania's case, the bird reflects the protesters' very specific concerns. They say plans for the development on Sazan island and a site at Zvernec, near the coastal city of Vlora, pose a threat to flamingos - which are a protected species - as well as other species in the protected wetlands area. Kushner's business partner, Asher Abehsera, says the project is focused on "responsible stewardship" and enhancing the environment, as well as creating jobs and value for local communities. The protesters are also angry about what they see as a lack of transparency over Affinity Partners' involvement, with negotiations between the company and the government dating back to 2024. Some placards at the protests have highlighted the participants' unhappiness about the concession of land to foreign developers, declaring Albania is "not for sale". The government insists it is privately-owned land acquired in a transparent manner. But others say the process may not have been as straightforward. After all, Albania is known to suffer from the chaos of ownership claims stemming from a messy process of privatisation at the end of 45 years of blanket nationalisation imposed by the Communist regime. However, environmental concerns appear to be the main motivation for the mostly young protesters. "We want all construction to halt and heavy machines ‌out ⁠of the protected area," said Joni Vorpsi, an ecologist with the PPNEA-BirdLife Albania organisation. He added that the proposed development "would be a new city with around 10,000 rooms" and said it would "completely destroy that wild region". Rama has appeared exasperated in his response to the protests. He described the participants as "well-meaning" but "misinformed" about the potential environmental impact. He insisted the project would bring massive benefits to Albania, with a €4bn (£3.5bn) investment promising both jobs and improved infrastructure. At the same time, Rama has also classified the protests as part of a "hybrid war" prompted by regional envy of Albania's rapidly-growing tourism sector, claiming that the country is "under attack from very strong competition in our part of the Mediterranean". This is a reference to Greece, which is being accused of fomenting the trouble. Rama himself has published what appears to be a public rebuke to former Greek Prime Minister Aleksis Tsipras. For Jared Kushner, this is a case of deja vu in the Balkans. His plan to build a Trump International Hotel in Belgrade faced fierce local opposition. The arrest of a government minister for abuse of office in connection with the project eventually prompted Kushner to withdraw earlier this year. In Albania, Asher Abehsera insists that everything is above board, including measures to preserve the environment. "Our focus remains on responsible stewardship, environmental enhancement, job creation, and creating long-term value for local communities," he said. If protesters remain unconvinced, the flamingo may remain a regular feature on Tirana's streets for some time to come.