Albania PM Rama: Protests a stage for anti-Trump forces
Protesters in Albania say their government is selling the country its nature out to foreign investors and luxury developers. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama tells
Protesters in Albania say their government is selling the country its nature out to foreign investors and luxury developers. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama tells DW why he thinks people are so upset. For the first time in his nearly 13 years as prime minister of Albania, Edi Rama is under serious pressure. For over a month now, thousands of Albanians have been taking to the streets daily, demanding his resignation. The demonstrators accuse Rama and his government of cronyism and corruption, with many saying that for a long time now, the Albanian government has been making decisions that will help it stay in power, rather than in the interests of Albanian citizens. The protests are often directed specifically at Rama and his policies, with demonstrators outside his office in the capital, Tirana, shouting "Rama, resign!" Protests 'wonderful example of freedom' But somehow Rama remains comparatively unfazed by it all. In an interview with DW on the sidelines of the r26 Business and Innovation festival held in Bochum, Germany, in early June, Rama insisted "there is not a breakdown of trust in Albania." He doesn't see the protests as a problem for his country, rather they are "a beautiful example of freedom, of democracy in action." Sazan Island, which was formerly home to a military base Image: Armando Babani/Matrix Images/picture alliance In fact, the protests indicate just how far Albania has come in recent decades, since the end of the Soviet era. During Albania's dictatorship, people were killed for protesting on the streets of Tirana where they are now gathering. Discontent with Albania's political establishment has been simmering but these protests were first sparked by anger at the planned construction of luxury resorts in the area of Vjose-Narta.
This stretch of the Adriatic coast is home to rare animals like flamingoes and the Mediterranean monk seal and also serves as a resting place for millions of migratory birds every year. The untouched nature of the area is what makes it so attractive to foreign developers and the demonstrations have been nicknamed "the flamingo revolution" in honor of the inhabitants of Vjose-Narta. On the uninhabited island of Sazan and along the coastline, there were plans to build several luxury resorts. Among the investors involved is US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and his investment company, Affinity Partners. It was expected that more than €4 billion ($4.6 billion) would have gone into developing the area. "My fight is to bring in Albania foreign direct investment," Rama explained. "Developments that will be not simply great for Albania, but it will be a gift to Europe." The development project was first announced in 2024, and initially drew complaints mostly from environmentalists. The current protests only started about a month ago when a previously public part of the coastline was fenced off. This led to protesters saying that Rama had prioritized the interests of foreign investors over his own citizens. DW conducted an interview with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama in Bochum in June Image: Kate Laycock/DW Accusations about privatization But Rama rejects this. "There is no privatization of public space," he told DW. "There is not. It's a lie." Rama is known for a rather confrontational attitude with the media and in the interview with DW, he says he doesn't need to guarantee that public places won't ever be made private because the question is flawed.
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