UMVA has learned that a wave of protests is sweeping through Albania, with thousands of citizens taking to the streets to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama and opposition leader Sali Berisha, amid allegations of corruption and cronyism that have plagued the country since the fall of communism in 1991.
The protests, which began in May, were sparked by a multi-billion-dollar luxury resort project backed by Jared Kushner and his business partners, which aims to build two resort properties on Albania's coastal lands, including an abandoned Soviet military base on Sazan Island and a protected landscape in Zvërnec, home to monk seals, flamingos, and sea turtles.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the protests are not just about the resort project, but about the perceived corruption and lack of accountability of the Rama government, which has been accused of revoking protected status labels on land to allow for development, sparking concerns about environmental degradation and crony capitalism.
Agim Nesho, a former Albanian ambassador to the U.S. and the U.N., has said that the protests are not against foreign investors like Kushner, but against the Rama government's alleged corruption and lack of accountability, adding that global investors have standards and demonstrate accountability, and there is hope they will show more care and consideration for the environment.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that the Rama government's response to the protests has been to deny their existence, claiming they were just a couple hundred people with an axe to grind, and later labeling them a "hybrid war" spurred on by Iran and Russia, a narrative that has been disputed by protesters and observers on the ground.
The European Parliament has urged the Albanian government to stop construction on protected lands, calling for a moratorium on further permits and construction in protected areas, amid concerns about the project's environmental impact and the Rama government's commitment to transparency and accountability.
Sources have confirmed to UMVA that some of the information circulating online about the project is fabricated and doctored, and that disinformation has emerged from outside the country, adding to the confusion and controversy surrounding the project.
As the protests continue, Albanians are both concerned that nothing will happen and concerned that something bad could happen if the Rama government does step down, with some wondering if the corruption will ever stop, and others fearing that a change in leadership could lead to even worse outcomes.
UMVA has gathered that the protests are the biggest in Albania since 1991, with thousands of people demanding change and calling for Rama's resignation, amid a sense of frustration and disillusionment with the current government and the lack of progress on corruption and accountability.
The situation remains uncertain, with protesters vowing to continue their demonstrations until their demands are met, and the Rama government insisting that the project will go ahead, despite mounting pressure from the European Parliament and civil society groups to reconsider.
