Key facts
- MEPs warn Albania that EU accession is at risk due to a luxury resort project backed by Jared Kushner.
- The project is planned for environmentally protected areas on Sazan island and the Zvërnec peninsula.
- Protests against the development, dubbed the 'flamingo revolution,' have turned violent.
- Albanian police used tear gas, pepper spray, and water cannons against protesters.
- Twelve police officers were injured and 18 protesters were detained during the clashes.
Members of the European Parliament have warned Albania that its European Union accession talks are in jeopardy if the government proceeds with plans for a luxury resort backed by Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law. The venture, valued at €1.4 billion, is planned for environmentally protected areas on Sazan island and the Zvërnec peninsula.
These plans have sparked significant domestic opposition, leading to protests known as the 'flamingo revolution.' On Thursday, several hundred protesters gathered outside the Albanian parliament in Tirana, demanding Prime Minister Edi Rama's resignation. The demonstration turned violent as protesters hurled rocks, eggs, and plastic bottles at police, and used part of a metal barrier to smash the windows of a police car. Police responded by firing tear gas, pepper spray, and using a water cannon to disperse the crowd. Authorities reported that 12 police officers were injured and 18 protesters were detained. Interior Minister Besfort Lamallari condemned the "acts of vandalism and criminal violence" against the police.
The government asserts the development will be transformational for Albania's tourism sector and its EU membership aspirations. However, environmental campaigners and critics of Rama's government oppose the project, citing potential threats to protected migratory bird habitats and violations of EU directives.