Jared Kushner's Albania resort project sparks massive protests

Protests in Albania have intensified into what is being called the 'Flamingo Revolution,' triggered by two €5 billion (US$5.7 billion) luxury resort projects in ecologically sensitive areas, linked to Jared Kushner. On May 30, bulldozers started clearing one site, sparking outrage that spread from the coast to the capital Tirana. Since then, thousands have gathered every evening at 6pm, marching to the prime minister's office carrying national flags and homemade banners. The movement lacks formal leadership but organizes through TikTok and Instagram, with videos of the protests going viral. Demonstrators accuse both the ruling Socialist Party and the opposition Democratic Party of corruption, saying they are willing to sell the country's natural beauty to the highest bidder. Prime Minister Edi Rama, in power for 13 years, defends the project as job-creating. The 81-year-old opposition leader Sali Berisha is already under US sanctions for alleged corruption. The protesters are now demanding the resignation of the entire political class, not just the cancellation of the resorts.