Widespread protests in Albania have turned violent, with the Supreme Court building set ablaze in recent days, according to a discussion on The Bulwark’s YouTube channel. The unrest stems from public outrage over a proposed luxury resort project on two islands—one of which is part of a protected flamingo preserve—linked to Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. The project, which critics argue was granted excessive concessions by the Albanian government, has become the focal point of what protesters have dubbed the ‘Flamingo Revolution’.
The backlash began after widespread opposition forced the government to reconsider the deal, which had allegedly allowed the Trump-Kushner team near-total control over the islands despite environmental concerns. Protesters, initially focused on the resort, have since expanded their demands to include broader grievances, such as education reforms and government accountability. The movement’s name reflects its origins: the islands in question are home to a critical flamingo habitat, and activists argue the development would devastate local ecosystems.
The situation escalated dramatically when protesters set fire to the Supreme Court building, a symbolic act of defiance against what they perceive as corruption and mismanagement. In the discussion, one commentator described the project as ‘cursed,’ suggesting its troubled history—from environmental backlash to legal challenges—has only deepened public anger. Another noted that while the resort deal may now be effectively dead, the protests have grown beyond it, with calls for President Bajram Begaj to resign over unrelated governance issues.
Albania’s government has not yet issued an official response to the arson or the broader protests, but the scale of the unrest suggests a turning point in public sentiment. The ‘Flamingo Revolution’ has become a rallying cry for activists frustrated with both foreign-backed development and domestic political failures. Whether the protests will force policy changes or further destabilise the country remains unclear, but the destruction of the Supreme Court marks a dangerous escalation in what was once a narrowly focused environmental campaign.
Fun fact: Albania’s flamingo population, primarily found in the Karavasta Lagoon, is a rare and protected species in Europe, with the country hosting one of the continent’s largest colonies. The proposed resort’s location near this habitat has made it a lightning rod for conservationists.
