Protests against a luxury resort project on Albania's Sazan island, backed by Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, have evolved into a broader wave of dissent targeting the government. The development, part of a €1.4bn investment on the southern coast, has sparked outrage among Albanians who view the island as a cherished natural treasure. Cartographer Ina Shkurti, who grew up visiting Sazan, described the plans as a 'crime' that would deny public access to a 'small paradise'.
Thousands have taken to the streets in what is being called the 'flamingo revolution', named after the threat to wildlife and ecosystems. Protests, which are leaderless and non-partisan, have drawn Albanians from the diaspora, with many flying in from the US and Europe. The demonstrations have caught officials off guard in a country with little tradition of civic unrest.
Prime Minister Edi Rama has refused to back down, defending the investment as vital for making Albania a top Mediterranean tourist destination. However, critics accuse the government of siding with oligarch investors over public interests. Afrim Krasniqi of the Albanian Institute for Political Studies warned that the lack of dialogue could lead to more radical protest measures.
The protests began three weeks ago when bulldozers cleared forest and dunes in the protected Pishë Poro-Narta reserve, home to rare birds and endangered species. Tensions escalated when private security contractors erected a fence to block public access, and a local landowner was filmed being dragged away by guards while police did not intervene.
