Albania: PM Rama hosts controversial rapper Ye amid ongoing protests

Tirana, Albania – Thousands of Albanians continued their protests for the 42nd consecutive day, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama. The demonstrations, dubbed the "flamingo revolution," have escalated to include opposition to a controversial concert by American rapper Kanye West, also known as Ye.

The government's decision to allocate four million euros to support the rapper's concert, which faced low ticket sales, has further fueled public anger. Prime Minister Rama defended the funding, stating it was necessary to prevent Albania's embarrassment before thousands of international visitors. He hosted West in his office and shared a video of the meeting online, rating it five stars.

Beyond the concert, a major point of contention is a proposed luxury resort project by Jared Kushner, son-in-law of former U.S. President Donald Trump. Environmentalists and locals warn that the 4.6 billion euro project, planned for the ecologically sensitive Zvërnec lagoon on the Adriatic coast, threatens a crucial area for migratory birds. The American investors, in partnership with the Albanian government, also plan to transform the former secret communist military base on Sazan Island into a 1.4 billion euro tourist destination.

These large-scale development projects, which Prime Minister Rama views as opportunities for Albania, have mobilized thousands of citizens. The "flamingo revolution" is characterized by inflatable pink flamingos, symbolizing a protest against what many perceive as the government's prioritization of lucrative foreign investments over environmental protection and public sentiment.

“

In the last minute, we contributed four million euros to avoid the shame of Albania in front of almost 25,000 foreign visitors from 80 countries who had already bought tickets for Kanye West's concert, while many were worried that the concert might be canceled.