Albanian Activists Challenge Kushner-backed Development Project

WHO:

AP News - Protesters are part of a movement called “The Flamingo Revolution.”

AP News - Fatma Paja, 28, is an artist and member of the protest movement.

AP News - Arben Kola, 46, is a tour guide and one of the first protesters in the movement.

AP News - Bujare Ishmi, 70, is a former engineer and a prominent figure in the protests.

AP News - Prime Minister Edi Rama is involved in the controversy surrounding the development project.

WHAT:

AP News - Thousands of protesters have been marching in Tirana against a coastal development project linked to Jared Kushner.

AP News - The luxury project includes a small resort on the uninhabited island of Sazan and a coastal development in the Narta Lagoon area.

AP News - The protests have been ongoing for weeks, with participants holding cut-outs of flamingos.

AP News - Albania’s anti-corruption agency has opened an investigation related to the project.

AP News - Protesters are calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.

WHERE:

AP News - Protests are taking place in Tirana, Albania.

AP News - The coastal development project is located in the Narta Lagoon area, a wildlife reserve.

WHEN:

AP News - The protests have been occurring for weeks, with specific mention of events on June 26 and June 27, 2026.

WHY:

AP News - Protesters are opposing the project due to concerns about environmental damage and lack of transparency.

AP News - Fatma Paja stated, “I am against a pro-elitist project that is blocking a fully protected area and destroying it.”

AP News - Arben Kola expressed that Albania is facing a high level of corruption regarding land privatization.

HOW:

AP News - Protesters are using art, such as foam flamingos, to express their dissent.

AP News - Fatma Paja leads chants through a loudspeaker during the protests.

AP News - The government claims the land is privately owned, but rival claims over its privatization have emerged.

(UPDATED June 28, 2026 23:18 UTC)

Thousands of protesters have been marching in Tirana against a coastal development project linked to Jared Kushner, which includes a luxury resort on the uninhabited island of Sazan and a development in the Narta Lagoon area. The movement, known as “The Flamingo Revolution,” features prominent figures like artist Fatma Paja and tour guide Arben Kola, who are voicing concerns over environmental damage and corruption related to land privatization. Protesters have been expressing their dissent through art, including foam flamingos, while calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama, as Albania’s anti-corruption agency has opened an investigation into the project.