In written statements sent to Bloomberg, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama stressed that his government must distinguish between “genuine protests” and what he described as “political theater,” referring to the ongoing mobilizations against the tourism development projects. According to Rama, the Albanian government has no intention of withdrawing its support for the two luxury tourism projects backed by Jared Kushner’s investment firm, despite weeks of daily protests.
Rama argued that voters gave him a strong mandate in last year’s elections to pursue his vision of transforming Albania into a high-end tourist destination — “and not to govern through hashtags or the loudest voices online.”
Edi Rama: Investment plans and public backlash
The projects, backed by Jared Kushner’s firm Affinity Partners, have sparked intense domestic controversy over coastal development and the approval process for large-scale private investments.
Protesters are demanding the cancellation of the plans and the resignation of the Albanian prime minister.
“Neither a loud minority, nor opposition forces, nor a wave of digitally amplified outrage fueled by the international allure of the Trump name — connected to what I consider an extraordinary opportunity for Albania — nor the interference of malicious foreign actors will stop us from realizing the ‘Albania 2030’ vision,” Rama stated.
Allegations of foreign interference
The protests erupted in late May, when preparatory work began in the area of the Zvërnec Peninsula, while Ivanka Trump had spoken on a podcast about development plans for Sazan Island.
Since then, Rama has repeatedly claimed — without presenting evidence — that the demonstrations are being amplified by a “digitally artificially inflated ecosystem of reactions.” In a more recent statement, he suggested that “time will show that Iran is not the only actor involved.”
Albania is home to approximately 3,000 members of the Iranian opposition in exile, and in 2022 Iranian hackers carried out cyberattacks against the country’s municipal services.
“Our model is clear: law, science, transparency, and European obligations — not hysteria,” the Albanian prime minister stated, adding:
“We are opening the country, protecting its natural resources, attracting serious investment, and moving steadily toward European Union membership.”
