Hundreds of protesters have torn down fences surrounding a planned luxury development site in Albania, as public anger continues to mount over construction in environmentally sensitive areas.
Demonstrations were originally triggered by proposals by a company linked to Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, plans to build a luxury resort near Vlora on the Adriatic coast, an area which is famous for its flamingos and a turtle nesting site.
Dissent has now spread to the village of Rjoll, which is located in an area of sandy beaches and a pine forest in northwestern Albania, where locals demonstrated against a separate development on Saturday, saying it was being built on their confiscated land.
They waved Albanian national flags and shouted "revolution" as they tore down fences. Some scuffles with police broke out, but the police did not stop them from removing the fencing.
"The protests will not stop until the residents of the village of Rrjoll are compensated. We are 200 families whose land has been seized," said Zeke Nikolle Shullani, one of the landowners.
An Albanian company has been developing a five-star luxury tourist resort on the site and the project was granted "special status investor" by the Albanian government.
"What is happening in this country is madness," said Nikolin Markpalaj, another local landowner.
"We asked the investors to come and consult with the people, but they refused. They think they can take all this wealth without blood or anything else that might happen here?"
Thousands of people have protested in recent weeks in Albania against the luxury tourism project linked to Kushner.
The scheme, backed by Kushner's investment firm, is estimated to be worth around $4 billion and would include hotels and tourism facilities across hundreds of acres of protected coastal land.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has strongly defended the Kushner-linked project, arguing that it complies with Albanian law and environmental regulations.
Kazakhstan accounts for 45% of Central Asia’s road and rail infrastructure investment, with around $32.3 billion committed as the region expa...
Türkiye has asked Interpol to issue a red notice for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a criminal case linked to Israel’s int...
Türkiye said on Thursday it would continue helping Syria strengthen its military, despite rising tensions with Israel over Ankara’s role...
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed, according to the latest data, as uncertainty over the waterway’s reopening kept most shipowners away. Six commodity vessels crossed the strait on Tuesday, down from nine the day before and below the 10-day daily average of 11.
Russia is open to listening to new proposals on how to reach a settlement on the Ukraine conflict, a senior Russian diplomat said, but any proposals should reflect the "realities on the ground".
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 20th of August, covering the latest developments.
Five years after Evergrande's debt crisis rattled global markets, founder Hui Ka Yan has been sentenced to life in prison, marking a dramatic new chapter in the downfall of China's former property giant.
Virgin Trains has moved a step closer to challenging Eurostar’s three-decade dominance of Channel Tunnel passenger rail, potentially giving travellers more choice between the UK and mainland Europe.
Türkiye has asked Interpol to issue a red notice for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a criminal case linked to Israel’s interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said on Friday.
Russia is open to listening to new proposals on how to reach a settlement on the Ukraine conflict, a senior Russian diplomat said, but any proposals should reflect the "realities on the ground".
Nearly 100 days after dozens of children were abducted from a school in northeastern Nigeria's Borno State, parents have taken to the streets to demand urgent government action to bring them home.
China and Indonesia have agreed to strengthen military ties and deepen cooperation in minerals, energy and technology as Jakarta balances relations with Beijing and Washington amid economic and geopolitical tensions.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment