Albania’s prime minister, Edi Rama, pushed back against international coverage of protests against a luxury coastal development linked to Jared Kushner, dismissing it as “hysteria” and sharing a video he said showed turnout around 2,000 people—less than he cla
The prime minister of Albania didn’t wait for crowds to quiet down. On Sunday. Edi Rama turned to a long post on X. arguing that international coverage of demonstrations against a luxury coastal development linked to Jared Kushner had blown the scale of opposition far beyond what he said was happening on the ground.
Rama dismissed the criticism as “hysteria” and shared a video he said showed a protest of around 2,000 people. He also claimed demonstrations had never exceeded 8,000 participants, even at their peak.
The dispute is widening as peaceful protests keep spreading across Albania. In recent days, thousands of protesters have taken to the streets in Tirana, the capital, and in other areas. Saturday evening, The Associated Press reported protesters gathered in Tirana for one of the largest protests so far.
Rama’s message was blunt: he portrayed the backlash over the Kushner-backed investment as disconnected from local reality. saying international media coverage had overstated the size of the unrest. “How could a tiny country become global news for reasons so disconnected from the reality on the ground?” he wrote. “How could a local protest involving a few thousand people be transformed into an international spectacle?”.
He repeated a theme that no final project approval has been granted and that environmental safeguards would be followed. even as critics accuse the government of fast-tracking development in protected areas. “There is only a vision and a plan: to transform Albania into the most attractive high-end tourism destination in this part of the world. while creating a net positive environmental development that. according to the current vision. would ultimately result in approximately 25 percent more trees and green space than exists today. alongside measurable improvements across multiple biodiversity indicators. ” he wrote.
In an additional comment on his post, Rama said there is “currently no significant public controversy in Albania regarding the island itself,” adding that what was being portrayed abroad did not match sentiment inside the country.
Protesters, for their part, have focused on the environmental stakes and the broader question of who benefits. The development plans would include hotels. villas and a marina in Narta Lagoon. described as one of the largest wetlands in Albania and a crucial habitat for multiple species. and a separate resort on Sazan Island. a former communist-era military base.
Environmentalists and activists argue the plans threaten habitats used by migratory birds, including flamingos, as well as seals and sea turtles. They also point out that the lagoon is considered a protected area because of its ecological importance.
Construction activity has already moved in. Since late May, excavators and other heavy machinery have entered the area, opening access routes, digging into the sand, clearing land among pine trees and installing fencing.
The controversy has spread beyond environmental concerns. Critics have raised questions about transparency. land ownership and potential corruption. and Albania’s anti-corruption prosecutors have opened an investigation connected to the project. The investigation centers on whether the land was privately owned, as asserted by the government.
Rama has continued to frame the project as an economic opportunity and a fit with Albania’s ambition to become a major global tourism destination. He said: “Albania should not be a country that fears an extraordinary project like this one. where exceptional partners have come together to invest 4 billion euros ($4.6 billion).” He added. “There is no chance for this investment to stop as long as I am here.”.
Opponents argue the process has lacked public consultation and that officials have prioritized foreign investment over local interests and environmental protections.
As the demonstrations continue, protesters have carried flamingo symbols and chanted slogans including “Albania is not for sale.” Rama, however, is insisting the story being told internationally—about how wide and deep the opposition runs—is not matching what he says people are actually seeing.
Rama’s office and the press office of Kushner’s investment firm Affinity Partners were contacted by Newsweek for comment outside regular working hours on Sunday via email.
Edi Rama Jared Kushner Albania protests Kushner resort Affinity Partners Narta Lagoon Sazan Island flamingos anti-corruption prosecutors environmental safeguards X video