Published on 6/29/2026
Thousands of Albanians returned to demonstrate in the streets of the capital, Tirana, over the weekend, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama, and the halt of a tourism project linked to the family of US President Donald Trump.
Since late May, protesters have been gathering in Tirana every evening under the slogan “Albania is not for sale” to object to the construction of a luxury hotel supported by Ivanka Trump – the daughter of the US President – and her husband, Jared Kushner, which is planned to be built within a nature reserve on the country’s coast.
The demonstrators are calling on Prime Minister Edi Rama to resign, due to what they describe as a lack of transparency in this project.
Last Saturday evening, the demonstrators carried huge figures of pink flamingos among the crowds, along with banners reading “Resign.”
The luxury project consists of two components: a small resort on the uninhabited island of Sazan, and a coastal development in the nearby Narta Lake area, a nature reserve frequented by a number of bird and wetland species, including flamingos.
Government denial
Rama had considered – earlier this month – that the protests against the luxury tourist resort project on the Adriatic coast were based on false information.
Rama said in a statement to the German News Agency in Berlin: “The demonstrators are based on incorrect information,” and added, “The facts confirm that there is no deal related to Sazan Island, while the media is filled with incorrect allegations that there is an agreement, that the Kushner family will obtain the island, and that Albania will sell it… It was never about a sale.”
Rama explained, “His government is still negotiating a joint project to build Albania’s first luxury resort on the island,” stressing that Kushner belongs to the group of potential investors. He said, “Albania has become a platform for anti-Trump anger around the world.”
Rama pointed out that the initial excavation work that had begun for exploration purposes had been halted, and the temporary walls of the construction site had also been removed. He added: “The preparatory work has not been stopped as a result of a specific decision, but there is a period of pause because it is impossible to continue working under this pressure and this cruelty.”
The Prime Minister confirmed that, so far, no construction requests have been submitted related to the Sazan or Zvernitz regions, adding that environmental impact assessment studies will, of course, be conducted.
According to his government’s account, limited, environmentally friendly construction is permitted in the two areas.
Environmental advocates criticize the amendments made to the Law on Protected Areas in 2024, while the Albanian government describes them as merely clarifying the legal status of protection. However, the European Union indicated – in its reports on Albania – a decline in the level of protection.
