Overview
- Tens of thousands have marched in Tirana in a series of nightly protests that began after construction fences and machinery appeared at the Zvernec site in late May, with reporters saying June 21 saw the largest single turnout so far.
- Protesters demand cancellation of the luxury resort and the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama, and many have carried Albanian and US flags while projecting slogans such as "Albania is not for sale."
- Albanian authorities have opened criminal proceedings against numerous demonstrators for alleged public order and security violations and have sought arrest orders for some participants.
- The development is reported to be co‑financed by Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner and would affect sensitive areas including the Vjosa‑Narta lagoon and the uninhabited island Sazan, which are important for migratory birds and flamingos.
- Analysts say the protests have a realistic chance of blocking this specific project by making investors wary but are unlikely to force an immediate change of government, and the wider movement highlights long‑running public anger over transparency, corruption and Albania’s approach to coastal tourism.