site.btaTirana Protests against Building Development in Protected Natural Areas Backed in Sofia

Members of the public gathered in front of the Albanian Embassy in Sofia on Monday to support protests in Albania against building development on protected areas in the Zvernec Peninsula near Vlora on the southern Albanian Adriatic coast and the wider Vjosa-Narta protected landscape. 

"We have gathered to support our Albanian friends, and we want the European Commission to react in time, because if it reacts in 2027, as the Albanians want, it will be too late to save Vjosa and Narta," said protest organizer Andrey Ralev of the BALKANI Wildlife Society. Ralev added that the European Commission must protect European nature regardless of whether it is in a member state or in a candidate country.

Albanian protesters in Tirana have insisted that the development of an ecologically sensitive part of the Adriatic coast will damage the environment in the protected area and affect local residents' property rights, local media reported. Civil discontent during the protests was also sparked by clashes during a protest against the construction of a resort in Zvernec on May 30, in which private security guards man-handled protesters.

"What is very important right now is that all this started in Albania with a change in the law on protected areas [in 2024]. Now the law allows the construction of five-star hotels in all protected areas, including national parks, and the Albanian government has promised to rescind these provisions by the end of 2027, before accession to the European Union," Ralev explained. According to him, construction is taking place not only in Vjosa and Narta but also in the Albanian Alps and in other coastal and protected areas.

"We also want to show that if the new government in Bulgaria moves in this direction, there will be serious resistance," he added.

According to Albanian media, Affinity Partners, the investment company of Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, plans to develop the Albanian peninsula by building several resorts in the area with nearly 10,000 villa units and hotel rooms, as well as a luxury resort under the Aman brand on Sazan Island, which is located opposite the town of Zvarnec.

In a statement on June 3, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama described the protests as an attempt at a "hybrid war" against Albania. He said Albania would not abandon this project.