Thousands of protesters gathered in Tirana to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama [1, 2].
The demonstrations signal growing public anger over alleged government corruption and the influence of foreign business interests on Albanian land use. The unrest highlights a volatile political climate as citizens target both domestic leadership and international developers.
The crowds, which included many young people, assembled in front of the Prime Minister’s Office [1, 2, 3]. The protests centered on opposition to a proposed luxury resort in Zvernec linked to Jared Kushner [2, 3].
Reports indicate that the demonstrations reached their 12th consecutive day on June 11, 2024 [2]. While some reports describe the movement as a broad anti-establishment push, other sources said the primary driver is the Trump-linked resort project [1, 2].
Violence erupted during the unrest, with clashes reported between protesters and police on the night of June 12, 2024 [3, 4]. The protesters said the government is corrupt in its handling of the Zvernec development [2, 3].
Prime Minister Rama has faced increasing pressure as the rallies continued throughout the week. The protests have evolved from specific grievances regarding land development into a wider call for a change in leadership [1, 2].
“Thousands of protesters gathered in Tirana to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama”
The intersection of local land disputes and the involvement of high-profile US figures like Jared Kushner has transformed a development project into a symbol of national corruption. The sustained nature of the protests—lasting nearly two weeks—suggests that the opposition to Prime Minister Rama is not merely about a single resort, but reflects a deeper systemic distrust of the administration's transparency and governance.
