Field tensions escalated in southern Albania today, Saturday, as Zvernec Island witnessed massive demonstrations against tourism investment plans led by Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. Participants in the marches raised national flags and banners condemning the encroachment on the local environment, demanding a halt to any moves aimed at transforming pristine areas into massive hotel complexes.
Popular concerns focus on a proposed project to build luxury hotels and resorts on the uninhabited Sazan Island, as well as environmentally sensitive areas in Zvernec and the coastal Vjosë-Nartë. These areas are considered among the most important natural reserves in the country, forming a unique ecosystem that experts fear will be destroyed as a result of investment-driven urban sprawl.
For his part, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama tried to calm public concerns during statements he made from Montenegro, stressing that there is no officially approved project at this moment. Rama indicated that the government is consulting the best international experts to ensure the creation of something unique, calling on the media to exercise caution in reporting information about issues that have not yet been decided.
Rama stressed in his speech that the discussion about the project is premature, considering that something that does not exist on paper cannot be definitively discussed. Despite these assurances, the Albanian public expresses widespread skepticism, especially with the increasing field visits made by Ivanka Trump to the region accompanied by international investors in recent months.
Protests took on a striking symbolic character dubbed the "Flamingo Revolution," where demonstrators used dolls and symbols of the pink flamingo, which makes the Vjosë-Nartë reserve its home. Protesters believe that the presence of bulldozers on the beaches represents the beginning of the end for this biodiversity that characterizes the southern Albanian coast.
The targeted reserve is located about 150 kilometers southwest of the capital, Tirana, and is one of the few remaining destinations untouched by intensive real estate development. Environmental activists confirm that any construction in this area will lead to the displacement of migratory bird flocks and the irreparable destruction of coastal vegetation.
The roots of the issue date back about two years when signs of the Trump family's interest in investing in Albania began to emerge, and Kushner published imaginary pictures of the projects through his official accounts. These posts, along with Ivanka's statements in international podcasts, reinforced the public's conviction that agreements had reached advanced stages behind the scenes.
Field sources reported that recent days witnessed movements of heavy machinery and bulldozers that began preliminary work on the coast, which sparked the current wave of anger. Opponents considered that these preparatory works contradict the official narrative that denies the existence of an existing project, which increased the trust gap between the public and the government.
Legal questions are being raised in Albanian political circles about how land ownership titles in those protected areas are acquired, and the extent to which this complies with local and international environmental laws. Observers fear that exceptional facilities may be granted to American investors at the expense of Albania's national and environmental interests.
Demonstrations continue to gain increasing momentum with the joining of various segments of Albanian society, amid calls to expand the scope of protests to include the capital, Tirana. The scene remains open to all possibilities in light of the protesters' insistence on protecting the "Jewel of the Adriatic" from turning into concrete jungles that serve narrow investment interests.
There is no approved project yet, and we must first get a draft to review and discuss before worrying about it.
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"Flamingo Revolution".. Escalating Protests in Albania Against Kushner and Ivanka Trump's Projects