TIRANA — Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner announced a multibillion-dollar resort project on Albania's coastline, which has become the focal point of a mass uprising in the country. Hundreds of thousands of Albanians demonstrated in Tirana, calling for an end to the current government.

Objection to the Trump-Kushner plans began on May 23, 2026, regarding a proposed development in the Zvërnec area. Approximately 150 local residents received news that a residential and tourist complex had been proposed. A fence erected around a development site in Zvërnec triggered a confrontation when dozens of local residents and environmental activists attempted to remove it, clashing with private security guards. The incident was filmed and circulated online, leading to protests that spread from Vlorë to Tirana.

Demonstrators in Tirana carried signs stating, "Albania is not a Gucci bag on sale." Protesters are demanding the resignation of Albania's prime minister and the repeal of four pieces of legislation, including the "Mountain Package," legislation for strategic investments, and amendments to the Law on Protected Areas and the Law on Cultural Heritage. Thousands lined the streets leading to the Prime Minister's office during a demonstration on June 20, 2026. Albania's Special Structure Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) has initiated probes into several investments in Tirana and along the coast.

Activist Entenela Ndrevataj said, "We are protesting the protection and preservation of the environment, which has been privatized and handed over to oligarchic interests." Wildlife biologist Melitjan Nezaj commented on the ecological impact, saying, "Three habitat types have already been affected, and further construction would transform many more." Nezaj added, "Waterbirds are especially vulnerable." Urban planner Doriana Musai identified the overarching concern, stating, "The problem is the precedent created when protected areas are treated as negotiable territory."

Prime Minister Edi Rama framed such investments as part of long-term economic modernization. Rama offered a response to the protest movement, named the Flamingo Revolution after birds inhabiting the Narta Lagoon. In a social media post, he said, "The problem is not the flamingos." He added, "The problem is that the flamingos refuse to listen to the facts, discuss solutions, and coordinate efforts with institutions and serious sources of expertise in order to protect everything that needs protection while allowing the right project to move forward." Rama concluded, "In doing so, they become tools of the crows and ravens that surround them."

Why It Matters

The proposed multibillion-dollar resort project in the Zvërnec area has led to widespread unrest in Albania, culminating in mass protests in Tirana demanding governmental change. The project, affiliated with Jared Kushner's company Affinity Partners, has ignited concerns among activists and environmentalists regarding the privatization of natural resources and potential ecological disruption in protected areas. The protests highlight a broader conflict over economic development strategies and environmental protection in Albania, with both local citizens and international diaspora communities participating in the movement.