Protests erupt as Albania accused of rushing through Trump linked resort on formerly protected landscape

Resort plans spark opposition

The proposed luxury development would include as many as 10,000 villas in coastal areas around the Vjosa-Narta landscape, home to the Mediterranean’s last intact delta system. The area had environmental protection until parliament passed a law allowing strategic investors to build in parts of it.

Construction workers began work in May, and protests spread nationwide after ancient dunes and forest were reportedly cleared for access roads in the nature reserve. The movement, called the Flamingo Revolution, began in response to the development.

Clashes escalate in Tirana

Students have taken a leading role in demonstrations in Tirana, where clashes with riot police have included attacks on ministerial buildings, banks and businesses. On Monday, after six consecutive days of unrest, protesters set fire to a police station; police used rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse crowds.

Shopkeepers protected their premises with metal sheeting as municipal workers removed paving stones. Students have said they will keep protesting until the socialist prime minister resigns, a demand he has refused. The unrest has also drawn attention to concerns about democracy, living standards and education.

MEP questions environmental review

Strik said an adequate environmental impact assessment would take at least two years and require study across several seasons. Environmentalists who helped lead protests have also argued that the evidence is already clear.

Rama and Kushner respond

At a Brussels tourism forum this month, Rama described the development as a potential turning point for Albania. On 8 October, Jared Kushner said the project aimed to meet high design and environmental standards and leave the area greener and more biodiverse.

Strik said she was surprised by Rama’s support for a large tourism complex in a fragile area. She accused him of serving his own interests and Kushner’s rather than those of the environment and Albanian people. Rama rejected her claims, called the violence in Tirana real and urged her to condemn it.