Protesters chant ‘Albania is not for sale’ as demonstrations swell against Kushner-backed luxury resort plan. Published On 11 Jun 202611 Jun 2026Thousands of Albanians have taken to the streets of the country’s capital, Tirana, in the largest protest yet against a luxury resort development backed by United States President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.Protesters on Wednesday held signs that said “Albania is not for sale” and chanted “New Albania” outside Prime Minister Edi Rama’s office as the crowd stretched half a mile down one of the city’s main boulevards.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listThe project, expected to cost about 5 billion euros ($5.8bn), has provoked outrage in the Balkan country because of its location near a protected wetland home to flamingos, seals and sea turtle nesting sites.Critics have also raised concerns about a lack of transparency surrounding the plans designed by foreign investors.“This is the prime example of what has been happening in Albania for the last 35 years,” protester Leand Lakrori told the Reuters news agency. “So today, enough is enough.” Protesters hold inflatable flamingos as part of a ‘Flamingo Revolution’ against Jared Kushner’s planned property in Albania, June 10, 2026 [AFP]The protests, which erupted in the village of Zvernec on the southern coastline where the resort is planned, have been dubbed the Flamingo Revolution, in reference to the protected wetland at the development site that serves as a migratory stop for the birds.Rama has sought to play down the ecological concerns, saying an environmental impact assessment would be completed and that the project would proceed responsibly.“We are very proud of what we have done for the wildlife in Albania,” he said. “The European Commission has no reason to doubt our firm will to protect whatever has to be protected when it comes to wildlife and nature.” Advertisement EU warningThe European Union, which has said it could admit Albania and other Balkan countries by 2030, warned that alignment with European environmental law would be a cond …
