Trump family-linked resort sparks aggressive protests in Albania
Protests in Albania (Photo: from open sources)
About 200 protesters from the Flamingo Revolution in Albania tore down metal and barbed-wire fences surrounding an elite development on the Adriatic coast linked to Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law, according to The Guardian.
The Guardian recalls that Albanians have been protesting for several weeks against the planned construction of a luxury resort supported by a company connected to Kushner. The site is near Vlorë, which is famous for its flamingos and for being a nesting site for turtles, which is why the protests have been dubbed the Flamingo Revolution.
An Albanian company is building a five-star luxury tourist resort, and the country's government has granted the project special investor status.
The structures fencing off the resort construction were torn down by residents of the village of Rëroll, located in an area of sandy beaches and pine forests in northwestern Albania. People said the project is being realized on their confiscated land.
The Guardian emphasizes that the protesters waved Albanian national flags and chanted "Revolution!" as they tore down the fences. They clashed with law enforcement, but the police did not stop them.
"The protests will not stop until the residents of the village of Rrjoll are compensated. We are 200 families whose land has been seized," said 56-year-old Zeke Nikolle Shullani, one of the landowners who has been protesting for several months.
60-year-old Nikolin Markpalaj, another local landowner, called what is happening in Albania madness.
"We asked the investors to come and consult with the people but they refused. They think they can take all this wealth without blood or anything else that might happen here?" the man said.
As reported, Jared Kushner's resort in Albania also threatens the country's European integration, as its construction violates the EU's environmental regulations. Brussels has already expressed its displeasure and warned of consequences.
