Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama accused Iran of helping to spread discontent against the large-scale tourist project of American entrepreneur Jared Kushner on the Adriatic coast of Albania.
The statement was made in an interview with the Associated Press and was confirmed in other international publications. Rama said that the protests were not organized by Tehran, but according to him, Iranian structures have been actively involved in spreading the campaign against the project through information and cyber operations.
"There is only one malicious player and that is Tehran. We know this as a fact," said the Albanian prime minister. According to him, Albania has been in a state of "cyberwar" for years with Iran after large-scale attacks on the country's state infrastructure.
Rama's words come amid ongoing demonstrations against the 1.4 billion euro project near the Vyosa-Narta protected area. Environmentalists and locals are demanding that construction be stopped over concerns that it will affect wetlands inhabited by flamingos, Mediterranean seals and sea turtles. Pink flamingos have become a symbol of the protests, and the movement has become known as the "Flamingo Revolution".
However, Rama remains adamant that the project will be implemented. He described the future resort as an opportunity to transform Albania into a high-end tourist destination and said investors would soon present plans that would impress the public.
The project is being developed by the investment company Affinity Partners of Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, and involves the construction of a luxury tourist complex in the Vjosa-Narta region and on Sazan Island.
Albania severed diplomatic relations with Iran in 2022 after Tirana accused Tehran of large-scale cyberattacks on state institutions. Relations between the two countries have remained highly strained since then.