Key facts
- Thousands of Albanians are protesting in Tirana against a planned luxury resort linked to Jared Kushner.
- Protests have broadened into an anti-establishment movement demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.
- Concerns include environmental damage to sensitive areas and lack of transparency in the development deals.
- The Albanian government views the resort project as crucial for high-end tourism and its EU accession bid.
- The European Commission has urged Albania to comply with environmental rules to protect its EU membership prospects.
Thousands of Albanians have taken to the streets in Tirana, initially protesting a planned luxury resort development linked to Jared Kushner in an ecologically sensitive area. The demonstrations have since evolved into a broader anti-establishment movement, with protesters demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama and his government.
The protests, which began after bulldozers moved onto one of the resort sites, are largely organized via social media and have drawn a diverse group of participants. Protesters accuse both the ruling Socialist Party and the opposition Democratic Party, led by former Prime Minister Sali Berisha, of corruption and prioritizing foreign investment over the country's natural beauty and heritage.
The Albanian government, led by Rama, defends the two planned resorts, valued at €5 billion (US$5.7 billion), as vital for developing high-end tourism and advancing the nation's bid for European Union membership. However, the European Commission has urged Albanian authorities to act swiftly to ensure compliance with environmental regulations, warning that failure to do so could jeopardize the country's EU accession process.