Pink Flamingos Against a Billion-Dollar Resort as Protests Sweep Albania
World
Mass protests against the construction of a luxury tourism complex in a protected natural area of Albania have grown into a broader anti-government movement. Tens of thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets, accusing the authorities of corruption and demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.
The protests have continued for more than a month. They initially focused on a tourism project linked to Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner. The development, estimated at around $4.6 billion, is planned for Albania’s Adriatic coast near the protected Zvërnec lagoon. Environmental campaigners warn that construction could threaten the fragile ecosystem and habitats used by migratory flamingos.
The birds have become the symbol of a movement dubbed the “Pink Flamingo Revolution.” During the largest rally since the protests began, demonstrators carried giant pink flamingos and signs reading “Albania Is Not for Sale.” Protesters also symbolically toppled a bust of Edi Rama.
Tensions escalated following clashes near parliament and the detention of protesters. On Saturday, a group of demonstrators marched towards a police station where 19 detainees were being held. Windows were smashed and police used water cannons to disperse the crowd. Earlier unrest left 15 police officers injured and resulted in the detention of 25 protesters.
The Albanian Helsinki Committee expressed concern over the escalation and called for an independent investigation into the conduct of law enforcement officers.
The disputed tourism project was first unveiled in 2024. A new wave of protests began after construction equipment and barriers appeared on nearby beaches in late May. What started as an environmental campaign has now become a serious political challenge for Edi Rama’s government.
The birds have become the symbol of a movement dubbed the “Pink Flamingo Revolution.” During the largest rally since the protests began, demonstrators carried giant pink flamingos and signs reading “Albania Is Not for Sale.” Protesters also symbolically toppled a bust of Edi Rama.
Tensions escalated following clashes near parliament and the detention of protesters. On Saturday, a group of demonstrators marched towards a police station where 19 detainees were being held. Windows were smashed and police used water cannons to disperse the crowd. Earlier unrest left 15 police officers injured and resulted in the detention of 25 protesters.
The Albanian Helsinki Committee expressed concern over the escalation and called for an independent investigation into the conduct of law enforcement officers.
The disputed tourism project was first unveiled in 2024. A new wave of protests began after construction equipment and barriers appeared on nearby beaches in late May. What started as an environmental campaign has now become a serious political challenge for Edi Rama’s government.
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