Albanian protesters rally against Kushner-backed resort in protected area

In PicturesSaveSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkProtesters march through central Tirana, as one of Albania’s largest recent rallies denounces a Trump-linked luxury resort planned on the protected Vjosa-Narta coast [Hameraldi Agolli/AP Photo]By AFP and APPublished On 21 Jun 202621 Jun 2026Thousands of protesters have marched through Albania’s capital, Tirana, in one of the largest rallies yet against a luxury resort project linked to United States President Donald Trump that has become a lightning rod for anger over alleged corruption.Since late May, demonstrators have gathered every evening to oppose the planned construction of a hotel complex tied to Trump’s daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner, on a protected stretch of the Balkan country’s coast.Saturday’s march drew what appeared to be one of the biggest crowds since the movement began, with many members of the Albanian diaspora travelling home to join. Waving Albanian and US flags, protesters released red balloons and chanted “Albania is not for sale,” a slogan projected onto the facade of the prime minister’s office.“We are not against the country’s development; we are against the arrogance and lack of transparency surrounding projects that affect our lives,” said Alma, a science student.The Kushner-backed resort, along with another planned development on nearby Sazan Island, would sit near key breeding grounds for migratory birds in the Vjosa-Narta protected area, including flocks of flamingos.Environmental concerns have fused with wider anger at Prime Minister Edi Rama, whom protesters accuse of opaque deals along the coast. Many now say they will remain on the streets until he resigns.Rama, who has stayed defiant, told a party meeting that he would not step down and argued that the controversy is driven more by Kushner’s name and the “shadow of Trump” than by the project itself.Marchers brandish placards accusing the government of corruption, saying coastal development deals are being struck behind closed doors. [Adnan Beci/AFP]Protesters takes part in a rally in Tirana. [Hameraldi Agolli/AP Photo]Protesters pledge to stay in the streets until Prime Minister Edi Rama quits, accusing his government of hiding details of major coastal projects. [Hameraldi Agolli/AP Photo]The project spans a wildlife reserve and an uninhabited island, and protesters have voiced concerns about the impact on biodiversity. Heavy machinery entered the area at the end of last month, prompting further outrage. [Hameraldi Agolli/AP Photo]Images of flamingos in flight are held aloft at the rally, symbolising fears for migratory birds that breed near the planned resort and Sazan Island projects. [Hameraldi Agolli/AP Photo]Protesters from abroad return home to join the movement, with members of the Albanian diaspora swelling the ranks of the Tirana marches. [Hameraldi Agolli/AP Photo]Chants echo through Tirana’s main boulevard, as demonstrators insist they will not leave the streets until Prime Minister Edi Rama steps down. [Hameraldi Agolli/AP Photo]Night after night, crowds gather in the capital, keeping up pressure on the government to halt a luxury hotel project in a protected coastal reserve. [Hameraldi Agolli/AP Photo]“Albania is not for sale” is projected onto the prime minister’s office as crowds demand Edi Rama’s resignation over the Trump-linked resort plan. [Hameraldi Agolli/AP Photo]