Albania: thousands take to the streets to protest against the Kushner resort
Protesters are demonstrating against the massive tourist resort that Trump’s son-in-law plans to build in Zvernec, 150 kilometres from Tirana
Thousands of people also gathered on the evening of Wednesday 10 June, in the largest demonstration in recent days, against the plans for a luxury mega tourist resort promoted by Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, in the area of Zvernec, about 150 kilometres south of Tirana, on the Adriatic coast.
On the eleventh day of the protests, dubbed “the flamingo revolution”, the crowd gathered on the avenue in front of the government headquarters continues to demand the resignation of the socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama, whilst the protesters’ chant is “Albania is not for sale”. Prime Minister Rama has no intention of backing down, defending the project, which is expected to cost €4 billion, in a deal involving the two Qatari billionaire brothers Moutaz and Ramez Al-Khayyat.
In a Facebook post today, citing the example of recent investments on the Greek island of Mykonos, Rama reiterated that ‘while the whole world is developing tourism and the economy by attracting foreign investment, we cannot compete by opposing it. That,’ he reiterated, ‘would be an invitation to a collective step backwards that Albania cannot, must not and will not accept.’
The Zvernec case appears, however, to have been merely the spark that ignited discontent not only towards the government, but towards the country’s entire political class. The protesters have repeatedly warned the political parties to keep their distance, and so far the protests have featured only national flags and symbols.
