Unprecedented Protests in Tirana Against Trump Family Real Estate Project: 'Albania Is Not for Sale'

Tirana saw its largest protest yet on Saturday, with tens of thousands of people demonstrating against a luxury tourist development project involving the Trump family. This 35th consecutive daily demonstration marks significant opposition to the construction of a luxury hotel in a natural reserve on Albania's southwest coast. The project, reportedly involving Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, has become a focal point for public anger over alleged government corruption and a lack of transparency. Protesters are demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama. "What started as the 'Pink Flamingo Revolution' has turned into widespread popular discontent," stated protester Alketa Ademi. "Lack of transparency, arrogance, enough! The Prime Minister must go." The protest's name refers to the pink flamingos inhabiting the protected area designated for the resort. Demonstrators argue that the luxury hotel complex, estimated at $4.6 billion and planned for a protected Adriatic coast zone, poses environmental risks to the area and a vital bird migration lagoon. The project also aims to transform the uninhabited Sazan island, a former secret military base, into a prestigious tourist destination. Strong opposition emerged following the project's unveiling in 2024, with recent protests triggered by the appearance of barbed wire fences and bulldozers on nearby beaches in late May. Daily demonstrations in Tirana have seen protesters confront police cordons outside Parliament. Clashes occurred when demonstrators attempted to breach police lines, leading to arrests and injuries. Police used tear gas and a water cannon to disperse crowds, while some protesters threw projectiles. Authorities reported 14 officers injured and 25 protesters arrested. The Albanian Helsinki Committee expressed concern over the escalation, stating that "individual violence cannot justify the disproportionate use of force" and criticized the law enforcement's use of tear gas without warning.

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What started as the 'Pink Flamingo Revolution' has turned into widespread popular discontent