Albania’s growing ‘flamingo revolution’ targets Jared Kushner resort

Key Points:

• Thousands of protesters in Albania have gathered for several nights against a proposed luxury resort backed by Jared Kushner, which threatens the breeding grounds of flamingos and other protected wildlife on Sazan Island and the Zvernec coastline.
• The development, planned by Kushner's private equity firm Affinity Partners, could include up to 10,000 hotel rooms and follows 2024 changes to Albania’s protected area laws allowing tourism projects in previously safeguarded ecosystems.
• Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama maintains that environmental assessments are ongoing and insists that development can coexist with nature, despite clashes between protesters and security forces, including the use of water cannons.
• The protests, largely youth-driven and independent of political parties, have sparked investigations by anti-corruption authorities into the land's legal status, while misinformation and antisemitic claims have been largely rejected by demonstrators.
• The movement has gained international attention, with planned protests by the Albanian diaspora in major cities worldwide, emphasizing environmental protection and opposition to perceived exploitation of Albanian land without local benefit.