Reuters. Albanian police used water cannons and tear gas on Thursday (July 23) to disperse protesters who threw eggs and bottles at officers, in the latest flare-up of demonstrations triggered by Jared Kushner's plans to build a multi-billion-dollar resort.
This unrest outside parliament on Thursday was a rare clash in typically peaceful protests that have been held for nearly two months in Tirana against what activists say is corruption and a threat to wildlife from development projects on the Adriatic Sea coast.
Protesters call their movement the "flamingo revolution" after the birds which congregate in a protected wetland where U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law Kushner wants to build luxury hotels.
Police in full riot gear and carrying shields used water cannons against hundreds of protesters who rattled fences cordoning off the parliament building.
"They are selling Albania. They are giving it off to foreign investors for profits and higher interests of those that are in the 1%, while the rest of the country suffers in poverty," Flogerta Lesi said as she protested in front of parliament. "So, of course, we don't want that. We want that everyone is represented rightfully, that the government listens to us, and that every big law that represents our country or changes our country in any way, shape or form should go firstly by the people."
The Kushner resort and other development projects are strongly backed by Prime Minister Edi Rama, who says the protests are artificial and ginned up by his political opponents.
"We are very determined to continue to protest until this government resigns" said another protester Jani Marka.
Reuters reported this month that Albanian prosecutors suspect a Miami-based businessman who sold land for the resort to developers working with Kushner had forged the title deeds. The businessman, also accused of laundering funds from cocaine smugglers, denies the accusations, and the developers say they believe the land transactions are valid.
Kushner has touted the resort plan on pristine coast he says he and his wife Ivanka Trump spotted from a yacht, but has refrained from commenting publicly since the protests broke out. The developers have confirmed Kushner is an investor but have not spelled out his role or how much he has invested.
Earlier this year, violent clashes broke out as protesters demanded the resignation of Rama's deputy, Belinda Balluku, over alleged corruption. Balluku was fired.
