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Rama in prison, Berisha in prison/ International television network: Protest turns into movement against the establishment
2026-06-11 10:11:40 / POLITIKË
The demonstrations have morphed into a broader anti-establishment movement, with protesters accusing both the government and opposition parties of failing to address the country's political and economic challenges.
Thousands of Albanians took to the streets on Tuesday evening on the 11th day of protests to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.
Protesters gathered in Skanderbeg Square in the capital Tirana to march towards parliament and chanted "Rama in prison, Berisha in prison," referring to Sali Berisha, the former prime minister and now leader of the Democratic Party of Albania.
A protest movement that began in opposition to a planned tourist development in the Pishe Poro area and Sazan Island entered its tenth consecutive day on Wednesday, culminating in what organizers described as a nationwide demonstration.
Protest leaders called on Albanians across the country and abroad to join the latest rally, which was deliberately timed to coincide with the anniversary of the founding of the League of Prizren, a 19th-century event widely considered a symbol of Albanian national unity.
The movement was initially sparked by concerns about a proposed investment project by a venture linked to Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, in a protected coastal area. However, it has since evolved into a broader campaign challenging a range of government policies and legislation.
Throughout the protests, participants have presented five main demands: the resignation of the government; the repeal of legislation and provisions on special status for strategic investors; the withdrawal of the Mountain Package; the annulment of amendments to the Law on Protected Areas; and the repeal of amendments to the Law on Cultural Heritage.
The government says development on the Adriatic coast would be transformative for the former communist nation as it seeks to tap into the high-end tourism market and pushes ahead with membership in the European Union.
The luxury project has two components: a coastal development in the Narta Lagoon area, which is a wildlife reserve, and a smaller resort on the uninhabited island of Sazan, a communist-era military base.
Rama told Euronews last week that opposition to the proposed real estate project on the country's southern coast is being amplified by bots, anti-Semitic narratives and hostile external forces to stoke tensions in Albania.
On Tuesday, a European Commission spokesman urged Albanian authorities to “act without delay” in order to avoid jeopardizing the country’s bid to join the EU, which will require it to comply with the bloc’s environmental rules.
“ Albania must refrain from actions that could undermine the fulfillment of the closing criterion, in this case Chapter 27, and we therefore expect the Albanian authorities to act without any delay ,” said spokesman Guillaume Mercier, referring to the chapter of EU accession talks that requires a candidate country to comply with environmental rules.
Organizers said the protests will continue in the coming days, claiming that their demands remain unchanged./ Adapted in Albanian by Alfapress.al from Euronews.com
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