It all started in late May on a beach in southern Albania with clashes between police, security forces and demonstrators. Since then, the situation has escalated into daily protests in the capital Tirana, which attract thousands of people every day. The reason is a highly controversial construction project for a luxury holiday resort and marina. American investor Jared Kushner - the husband of Donald Trump's eldest daughter, Ivanka - is involved in it. This construction project will affect not only the uninhabited island of Sazani, but also part of the beach opposite it near Zvernets, in close proximity to the Narta lagoon. This lagoon is home to many flamingos - which is why the birds have become the emblem of the protest.
The protests are also against the opposition
But anyone who talks to people on the streets of Albania understands that it is no longer just about protecting the environment, writes ARD. Selma, who went out to protest, says she is there to liberate Albania. "We have thousands of problems: education, healthcare. The system is completely wrong", the woman comments.
Antonio tells ARD that he is protesting to protect a piece of land that they want to take away from them. "Some billionaires want to buy the land and the island. We are protesting against the government, against the opposition, for nature and for a better country". Anisa also believes that there are too many problems in Albania, especially corruption and problems in education: "This prime minister has been in power for over 12 years, we don't want him anymore", the woman says. Many people on the streets are demanding that Edi Rama resign. He has been prime minister since 2013, and his Socialist Party governs with an absolute majority.
Edi Rama does not intend to give in
Recently, Rama reacted sharply to the protests. At an international press conference, he accused journalists of lying, ARD recalls. In an interview with the German "Handelsblatt", the Albanian prime minister said that no concessions would be made, and the investment would not be stopped under any circumstances. According to him, this project "will improve the state of the environment" and will have a positive effect on green spaces. "We will eventually have even more trees than we have now," Rama told Handelsblatt.
At a conference in Berlin on Tuesday, he said the protests were due to misinformation and pointed out that no construction applications had yet been submitted - neither for Sazani Island nor for the Narta Lagoon. In the interview with Handelsblatt, Edi Rama also said that in his opinion the protests were not as big as they were being claimed. Some Iranian citizens in Albania were also to blame for them, who were thus showing their dissatisfaction with the regime in Tehran.
Although Rama claims that there is no construction permit, Ivanka Trump herself fueled the discontent of Albanians a few weeks ago when she said in an interview that she and her husband "will develop" Sazani Island and the coastline opposite it, which they "own".
The Albanian Prime Minister apparently does not take the demands for his resignation seriously, because he told the German media: "Since I came to power in 2013, there have been many demands for my resignation, but they do not matter to me. Protests are part of democracy," Rama also said.
The protests have no clear direction
Rama's statements definitely do not calm the protests, ARD writes. However, people on the streets of Albania are not only criticizing him, but also the opposition. According to journalist Ben Andoni, none of the major political parties in Albania is benefiting from the current discontent. The only benefit is for the country's civil society, which can prove that it is capable of opposing Edi Rama.
Journalist Andoni is convinced that the protests will continue at least until the end of the month, writes ARD. One problem, however, is the heterogeneity of the participants. "There is no prominent leader who can set a clear direction for the protest", says Andoni. According to him, the protest does not follow a clear logical or ideological line, which is becoming a problem.
Author: David Frejes ARD