Protesters gather in front of the Albanian Prime Minister’s office during a demonstration against the development of a luxury resort near a nature reserve in Tirana, June 20, 2026.
Adnan Besi | AFP | Getty Images
Thousands of people protested in Albania’s capital over the weekend in the largest rally ever against a luxury development project linked to US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Protesters in Tirana were seen marching towards Prime Minister Edir Rama’s office on Saturday carrying Albanian flags and banners reading “Albania is not for sale”, and reportedly called for his resignation and chanted chants against the Socialist government.
Further protests broke out in the western city of Vlore on Sunday, continuing for the 22nd day in a row.
The main focus of the demonstration was a proposed multi-billion euro tourism project on Albania’s Adriatic coast, a development backed by Mr Kushner’s Affinity Partners.
The protests then merged with broader public anger over opaque real estate deals and allegations of government corruption.
This aerial photo shows protesters gathering in front of the Albanian Prime Minister’s office during a demonstration against the development of a luxury resort near a nature reserve in Tirana, June 20, 2026.
Adnan Besi | AFP | Getty Images
The protests became known as the “Flamingo Revolution” due to the alleged threat to wildlife and delicate ecosystems, including flamingo populations, from development projects on the country’s southern coast.
Albania’s prime minister, who has defended Kushner-related developments, has rejected calls to resign.
Rama reportedly said that Kushner’s involvement, rather than environmental concerns about the project itself, seemed to be fueling the protests.
CNBC has reached out to Affinity Partners and Albanian government spokespeople for comment.
