Friday evening, the Albanian capital was once again the scene of demonstrations against a controversial tourist project linked to Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. On one side, Prime Minister Edi Rama facing his supporters. On the other, thousands of demonstrators in the street, like every evening for almost two weeks.
At the heart of the protest: a luxury complex planned near a protected lagoon where many pink flamingos live. But beyond the project, the entire governance of the country is being called into question. The demonstrators are demanding accountability… and the resignation of the leader who has been in place for thirteen years.
A project that sets fire to the powder
Anger took on a new dimension when barbed wire appeared on the beaches of a nature reserve located 150 km southwest of Tirana. An installation deemed unacceptable by environmental associations. A demonstration, repressed by private security guards, then accelerated the mobilization. Since then, gatherings have multiplied and concentrated the discontent of part of the population. “The problem is not that they are trying to build a tourist complex, the problem is the lack of transparency and accountability towards the population,” explains Kaltrina Hyka, activist for the NGO Eco Albania.
Faced with the protest, Edi Rama tries to keep his hand. During a speech for the 35th anniversary of the Socialist Party, of which he is president, he responded to criticism. “Albania has never been for sale,” he told his supporters. But on the ground, the slogans keep coming. “Rama resigns” and “Albania is not for sale” echo every evening under the windows of his office. The Prime Minister speaks of a “political and ideological war which does not concern Albania”, denouncing an instrumentalization of the movement.
Does the project really exist?
For several days, the head of government has been playing down. He affirms that “there is nothing to fear, since there is no project”, referring to erroneous information at the origin of the mobilization. For her part, Ivanka Trump recently described the site in a podcast. “We have five miles [8km, ndlr] beachfront directly opposite the island, this magnificent peninsula with a lagoon on one side, the ocean on the other, magnificent white sand beaches. Enough to reinforce the doubts of opponents.
Beyond the project, a concern persists: that of a new corruption scandal. The country is already marked by several cases involving political figures, including those close to the current power and opponents. The demonstrators are demanding in particular an independent investigation into the allocation of land, better protection of natural areas and the repeal of the law on strategic investments. So many demands which go far beyond the simple tourist project.
A generation that refuses to leave
In the processions, the anger is deep. “The trigger was the project in the Zvernec nature reserve, but in reality there are many reasons why we are demonstrating here today,” explains Fadel Dia. The 26-year-old goes further: “For 36 years, we have been led by corrupt governments, one after the other. None of these governments have done anything for the Albanian people. They have only enriched themselves and robbed us. We don’t have a health system, we don’t have… well, one of the biggest parts of Tirana doesn’t even have a public school… Despite everything, he wants to stay. “All my life I’ve been told not to live here […] but in reality, Albania is a great country […] and the only thing that is wrong in our country is the government. And that’s what we want to change, because I want to live in my country and not elsewhere.”
