Demonstrators have gathered for nearly a month in Tirana to oppose a luxury development on protected coastal land, demanding transparency and the prime minister's resignation.
Thousands of protesters marched through Albania's capital on Saturday in one of the largest rallies yet against a luxury resort project linked to US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
The demonstration drew what appeared to be the biggest crowd since the movement began in late May, with many members of the Albanian diaspora returning home to join. Waving Albanian and US flags, protesters released red balloons and chanted "Albania is not for sale" — a slogan projected onto the facade of the prime minister's office.
The controversy centers on a planned hotel complex on a protected stretch of Albania's Adriatic coast, near the Vjosa-Narta delta — a critical habitat for migratory birds, including flamingos. The project is backed by Kushner's investment firm, Affinity Partners, and has become a lightning rod for broader anger over alleged corruption and lack of transparency.
"We are not against the country's development; we are against the arrogance and lack of transparency surrounding projects that affect our lives," Alma, a science student, told AFP.
The government amended its Law on Protected Areas in February 2024 to allow "high-end tourism projects" inside protected zones — a change critics say was made specifically to accommodate the Kushner-backed development.
The European Commission has warned that the development could jeopardize Albania's EU membership bid, as the country must close the environment chapter of accession negotiations — which requires repealing the law that enabled the resort.
Prime Minister Edi Rama has refused to back down, telling a party meeting that he would not resign. He has argued that the controversy is driven more by Kushner's name and the "shadow of Trump" than by the project itself.
Albania's Special Prosecution Office Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) has opened an investigation into the project, seizing assets worth $148.4 million from a related company.
The protests have continued nightly for nearly four weeks, with demonstrators now calling for early elections and Rama's resignation.
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