“Albania to Albanians !”: a luxury resort project, USA and rally citizens in one story

Named after the endangered bird populating the peninsula, these protests contest the investment of more than one billion euros made by Donald Trump’s son-in-law to develop a luxury tourist destination, including up to 10 000 hotel rooms and villas. Key issues at stake for Albanian citizens started with the destruction of a protected wildlife zone, home to over 200 bird species and 70 endangered species, to end up claiming the resignation of Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, accused of fostering inequalities and corruption.

Protests initiated by environmental activists

Even though the project was made public in 2024, protests concretely started once the videos and pictures of machines beginning to dig in Vjosa-Narta have been relayed in social media, destroying the landscape of the protected area. This event gathered protestors both where work had begun, because of the closing of some public places like beaches, and in the capital Tirana, carrying flamingo signs in the streets.

Dozens of NGOs raised concerns about the environmental consequences of such a project and more than 40 groups directly wrote against it to the government at the beginning of the year, despite Affinity Partners’ statement notably claiming to “focus […] on […] environmental enhancement”.

A government weakened by financial scandals : the rise of a global public outrage

The Flamingo Revolution is also the result of disaffection toward the government of Edi Rama. In fact, a number of financial scandals inside the corridors of power weakened the trust of the Albanian citizens.

• In 2026, the MP Belinda Balluku was forced to resign from her position after being targeted by an anti-corruption investigation. The SPAK (Special structure against corruption and organised crime) prosecuted her for manipulating public tenders. She is considered as a suspect for two different construction contracts which cost more than 200 millions euros.
• The SPAK, to avoid any risk of corruption, decided to investigate the origin of the fund of the Kushner project, the change of status of the island and the awarding of contracts without a competitive bidding process.
• The European Union questioned Albanian’s economical measures that raised concerns about “transparency and equitable access, favouritism and lack of competitive processes”. The amendment adopted in February 2025 which gave special exemptions for any investment worth €50 million or more questioned Albania’s process for joining the EU.
• The ambiguous role of Kushner as an American political figure and an economic actor puts in question the integrity of the project. Critics accused Rama of trying to gain favor with the White House with the project and are worried of the overlap of Kushner’s political and economical position. In response to these concerns, Anne Kelly, the spokesperson, has affirmed that Kushner is a “volunteer” and his private business activities “have nothing to do with the President or the administration”.

The use of a private firm for securing the field, the destruction of ancient dune and pine forest were viewed negatively by the local population.

• The intensity of the protest grows with the clash between the private security firm and the local population. A footage showing an activist being dragged out by a security guard on the site became viral.
• Several employees engaged by Affinity Partners to protect the site were arrested by the authorities because of violence committed. Two security firms were also revoked of their function because of these scandals.

The response of Edi Rama : an opportunity against false narrative

On the other hand, Edi Rama continues to defend the project. He affirms that the contestation came from an “hybrid war” wielded by actors that are “using the sentiments of some well-meaning people about the environment”.

• For him, the project is an opportunity for Albania’s economy. He wants it to be a global touristic hub in Europe. It is an important project because Albania has one of the countries with the poorest GDP in Europe (34 out of 38 in 2024). By stimulating tourism, he hopes to achieve a greater economical stability.
• The European Commission acts as an observer in the development of the project. If the government does not handle it correctly he could undermine the objective to rejoin the EU. As the EU spokesman Guillaume Mercier said “Albania should refrain from actions that could undermine the fulfilment of the closing benchmark, in this case Chapter 27, and so we expect the Albanian authorities to act without any delay”. As a candidate, the country is supposed to respect environmental law.
• In response to these warnings coming from the EU, Edi Rama denies all accusations that the development of this project will endanger the virgin coastline.