Albanian Prime Minister Defends Kushner-Backed Resorts as Protesters Oppose Developments on Protected Wetlands

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama defended two luxury resort projects backed by Jared Kushner's investment firm Affinity Partners after thousands protested the developments in Tirana and along the southern coast. @zerohedge reported that the projects include a €1.4 billion ($1.6 billion) resort near the Vjosa-Narta protected area on the Zuvernec peninsula and a second development on Sazan Island.

Together the projects are valued at up to €5 billion.

Site preparations started late last month. Protesters gathered in Tirana on June 12 and hoisted inflatable pink birds and signs. The opposition labeled the demonstrations the Flamingo Revolution because the sites affect a protected wetland that hosts flamingoes, seals, and sea turtle nesting areas.

Demonstrations began as work started on the Zuvernec peninsula. Rama met Kushner and Ivanka Trump during their boat visit to Albania several years earlier. He described them as very nice, humble and humanly good people.

Ivanka Trump later discussed plans for Sazan on a podcast. Rama stated on Tuesday that the protests represent political theater backed by an enormous digital amplification ecosystem that is clearly not organic. He noted that Albania hosts 3,000 members of the exiled Iranian opposition group the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran.

Rama told Bloomberg that neither a loud minority joined by every opposition force nor digitally amplified outrage will divert Albania from its 2030 vision. He said the government's standard remains law, science, transparency and European obligations.