Albanians Rally 11 Days Over USD4B Trump-Linked Coastal Deal
Chanting "Albania is not for sale," demonstrators waved national flags and held banners denouncing state officials, accusing the ruling administration of abandoning its duty to protect Albanian sovereignty and public land.
At the heart of the unrest lies a proposed tourism and resort development in the Zvernec area of the Vlora region, a project estimated at approximately $4 billion that protesters allege involves investors with ties to Ivanka Trump, daughter of U.S. President Donald Trump, and her husband Jared Kushner. Prime Minister Edi Rama has flatly denied the project bears any connection to the Trump family. A special prosecutor's office has since opened a formal investigation into the matter.
Tensions were further inflamed by the staging of Israel Culture Week across Albania from June 9–11. Promotional banners and Israeli flags that had lined a major central boulevard were largely taken down by Wednesday following objections from protesters, who characterized the displays as inflammatory.
Media news agency quoted activist Akil Cala, who said demonstrators had assembled around one central demand — the government's resignation.
"Therefore, one of the reasons why Albanians came here, why they gathered in this square, is because they are trying to sell our land. We don't want this to happen," Cala said. "Another problem is that, according to what we've heard from the media, this land is being sold to an investor with a Zionist background. To be honest, nobody wants Albania to become a second Palestine."
Journalist and activist Egon Loli framed the protest in broader political terms, dismissing any characterization of it as a single-issue demonstration.
"This is a protest against the mismanagement of this kleptocratic political class that uses strategically important parts of Albanian territory to gain political influence and evade justice and the judicial system. They are making secret and opaque deals with our Western allies to gain political influence," Loli said.
Activist Floriar Arapi traced the protest movement's origins directly to the Zvernec project and its reported ties to Jared Kushner and financier Nat Rothschild.
"For many, this was a kind of sale of Albanian land. The protesters' first slogan was 'Albania is not for sale,'" Arapi said, citing widespread public anxiety over what he described as creeping oligarchic control of Albanian assets.
Arapi also raised concerns about what he termed deepening Israeli influence over Albania, referencing recent agreements the government had signed with Israeli firms.
"A false image is being created, as if we have a strong and very good relationship with Israel. In reality, this is not true. Our relationship is not that good. The Albanian people stood against the genocide committed by Israel in Palestine. They organized many protests, but they were prevented and banned. The media, the public, and politicians have not spoken about this at all," Arapi said.
The demonstration concluded peacefully following a series of speeches delivered outside the government building. Organizers confirmed the protests would press forward, with protesters demanding both the cancellation of the Zvernec project and the resignation of Prime Minister Rama.
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