Approximately 200 demonstrators destroyed metal barriers and razor wire fencing at a high-end development location along Albania’s Adriatic coastline on Saturday, reflecting mounting opposition to construction projects in ecologically fragile zones.
For several weeks, Albanian citizens have been demonstrating against a proposed upscale resort supported by a firm connected to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, close to Vlora, an area known for its flamingo population and turtle breeding grounds.
During Saturday’s action, residents of Rrjoll, situated in a region characterized by sandy coastlines and pine woodlands in northwestern Albania, demonstrated against a separate development, claiming construction was occurring on property taken from them.
Demonstrators carried Albanian flags and chanted “Revolution” while dismantling the barriers. Although minor confrontations with law enforcement occurred, officers did not prevent the fence removal.
“The protests will not stop until the residents of the village of Rrjoll are compensated. We are 200 families whose land has been seized,” said Zeke Nikolle Shullani, 56, one of the landowners who have been protesting for several months.
A domestic Albanian firm has been constructing a five-star luxury tourism facility at the location, with the Albanian government granting the project “special status investor” designation.
“What is happening in this country is madness,” said Nikolin Markpalaj, 60, another local landowner. “We asked the investors to come and consult with the people but they refused. They think they can take all this wealth without blood or anything else that might happen here?”
