FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
How Trump's son-in-law accidentally sparked a revolt against the political establishment in Albania
When Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law, decided to invest in a luxury tourist complex on the idyllic southern coast of Albania, he probably didn't expect it would provoke a national revolt.
But Albanians, it seems, have not been enthusiastic about the idea of foreign investors building tourist complexes on some of the country's most precious natural assets.
The proposed project for a 10,000-bed resort near a protected area home to flamingos, turtles and one of the most pristine river deltas in Europe has sparked perhaps the biggest popular protests since the fall of communism more than three decades ago.
Within two weeks, what is now known as the “Flamingo Revolution” has transformed from an environmental protest into a nationwide campaign against the entire political class.
Years of perceived government corruption, uncontrolled tourism development, dissatisfaction with the country's economic situation, and the belief that Albania is being governed in the interests of a wealthy minority and not the citizens, have driven many Albanians to protest.
Demonstrators are now demanding the resignation, and even the imprisonment, of Prime Minister Edi Rama and opposition leader, former Prime Minister Sali Berisha, the two political figures who have dominated the Albanian scene since the fall of the communist regime in 1991.
" The young people and citizens here are not just protesting against Rama and Berisha, but against the entire system ," said Françeska Muço, a civil society activist, during the protests in Tirana.
" This is a protest against the entire system built after the fall of the dictatorship and against the negative models that have been normalized in this country ," she added.
Biologist Olsi Nika, who led the campaign to declare the Vjosa River a national park, says public anger goes much deeper than opposition to foreign investors.
“ This is not about opposing Jared Kushner ,” he says, arguing that Albania has a long history of neglecting environmental standards and that political corruption remains widespread.
Rama himself has been steadfast. He has declared that foreign real estate developers, like Kushner, are more important to Albania than Albanians themselves.
" Foreigners are the first priority, because they bring money into the country for Albanians ," he declared.
His comments, made as protests spread across the country, did not help ease tensions.
" If he said this openly, this is one of the reasons why we are protesting ," said Redi Muçi, MP for the Joint Movement.
“ Albania has become an unlivable place for Albanians ,” he added, citing the rising cost of living, the proliferation of Airbnbs in Tirana, and the construction of resorts along the coast.
Meanwhile, Albania's ambition to join the European Union remains in question. The country was considered one of the most advanced candidates for membership by 2030, along with Montenegro, but political unrest and environmental concerns are being closely watched by Brussels.
The resort
Vlora has become the epicenter of the tourism boom in Albania, attracting tourists seeking the Mediterranean sun and sea at lower prices than in Greece.
However, the area north of the city has so far remained untouched. Flamingos roam the lagoons, turtles build their nests in the sand, and seals still appear along this coastline.
The Pishe Poro-Narte protected area is part of the Vjosa River delta, often known as the last wild river in Europe.
But this landscape is facing danger. A road now runs through the territory, police patrol the area, and the concrete foundations of removed fences mark the site where a luxury resort worth 1.4 billion euros is expected to be built.
Although the project has been largely identified with Kushner and his wife Ivanka Trump, some reports suggest that his investment company may have pulled out of the project.
Work on the resort was approved without an environmental impact assessment, an issue that has become the heart of the conflict.
" We have a turtle nest this year that was destroyed by machinery. It's only a kilometer away from here ," said environmentalist Konstantin Xhaho.
He pointed towards a new gravel road that crosses sand dunes, beach and forest.
In late May, a protester was dragged away by a security guard in the same area as residents and activists demanded the removal of the barriers.
Such scenes have increased discontent at the national level.
Tens of thousands of Albanians have taken to the streets as protests in Tirana enter their third week. Demonstrations have also taken place in Shkodër, Durrës, Lezhë and Gjirokastër, as well as by Albanian communities in the US, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy and the UK.
Protesters demand the cancellation of the project and the removal of Rama after 13 years in power. /Adapted from "Politico"
Qelbesira, nuk ka më krim se te shesesh Atdheun. Pse mundoheni ta thjeshtoni poshtersine se populli nuk a ka më Trapin e sorrollopin e tij që mos u ngopshin. Problemi është se ka kohe që po zhduket kombi e tani i ka ardhur zhdukja e Shqiperise. Si ka mundesi që te gjithë palaço të zarbo të medias që gerthasin si shtriga 2 milion Shqiptare, kur Shqiptaret që kane ikur ne emigrim janë më shum se 2 milione të civet kane prona ne atë tokë të bekuar o të mallkuar. Ka mbi 20 vite që ne zonen e bregdetit televizori nuk kap stacione Shqiptare po vetem berzhe berzhe slavisht kjo tregon që sllave e plehra kriminele kane blere bregdetin. Amelika e Eulopa na premtuan shume e na lane ne e balte. Iu turren Shqiperise e më pas Kosoves e të dyqani janë ne hall që të shfrytezon ne mineralet tona, bregdetin e natyren tone. Nuk kemi ditur kurre se ne Shqipëri ka pasur flamingo e bukuri si Lura, plantacione me agrume e ullishta, vreshta, molle e arra që i zhduken. Kur doni vota Shqiptaret dalin dyfish më shume. Mbusheni Shqiperine me cifute e tua ferkojne femijet neper vilat e ndertuara ne truallin tone. Na luante filozofin piktoruci e tani që i ka rene bytha ne uje gerthet si ai tjetri tropozhani.
Cili investim apo investitor i huaj ka sjellur para per Shqiptaret? Albpetroli? Nafta qe nxirret dhe dergohet jashte vendit dhe ketu blihet per konsumatoret me gati 2 euro per liter? Cmimi me i larte ne rajon e me gjere? Industria e kromit? Resortet e ngritura mbi prona te grabitura? Kullat qe kane betonizuar Tiranen dhe Bregdetin me cmimet e larta te apartamenteve, qe vete kryeministri u kerkon ti mbajne te larta? Industria e turizmit qe eshte kthyer ne makth dhe pamundesi per shqiptaret dhe plazhet u jane rrethuar me tela me gjemba? Lalesi ku dominojne vila oligarkesh e qeveritaresh dhe nuk lejohet te afrohet kurrkush? Nuk jane investime por falje, dhurata, pazare me qeveritare. Mjafton te japin ryshfetet e medha per qeveritaret e larte dhe nuk ka rendesi standarti jeteses se popullit, pensionisteve etj. Nano e quante Ramen "Masoni me i pasur" . Me se u pasurua me "kurbanin" si liber apo popullin kurban? Pa tjeter u pasurua duke ber kurban nje popull te tere. U pasuruan te ashtuquajturit investitor strategjik, por populli u varferua dhe largua. Duhet transparenca per cdo investim qe ne Sazan, Zvernec e kudo te mos vine masivisht kolone izraelite , se u ka premtuar Rama. Vlonjanet do behen pishman per apatine qe po tregojne per situaten e krijuar.