Protests in Albania over a Jared Kushner-backed resort project have sparked a diplomatic row with Iran. Prime Minister Edi Rama alleges that online campaigns supporting the protests are part of an Iranian-backed "hybrid war," while Iran denies the claims.
Protests have been growing in Albania against a planned resort development backed by Jared Kushner, with thousands taking to the streets of Tirana on Thursday. But now they have sparkled more than just the political and invironmental debate. This has turned into a high stakes diplomatic standoff between Albania and Iran. As thousands of people take to the streets to protest these projects, backed by Jared Kushner's company, Prime minister Edi Rama declares that part of the online campaign and narrative fueling these protests is actually a hybrid war against Albania. The Prime minister is linking this campaign to actors and specifically pointed to Iran, a country Albania has had a deep diplomatic dispute for years following major cyber attacks against Albania's state institutions. Bu Tirana's accusations were immediately countered by Tehran. The spokes person of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Esmaeil Baqaei, rejected the statements of the Albanian Prime minister, charachterizing them as baseless. In his public reaction Baqaei mocked the accusations of a hybrid war and asked Rama to respect the judgment of the Albanian citizens, arguing that the protests are the results of an internal grievance and not Iranian influence.
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Are we dealing with a civic protest that is being exploited by external actors, or a genuine operation? For this Euronews Albania spoke with Christopher Hyland, an american secutity and diplomacy expert.
"There are concerns about conservation, yes. But morph that into "Albania only for Albanians", to morph that into "No investment in Albania and to begin criticising and acting in a prejudicial way against the religions of individuals who are partners in a 4 billion dollars investment in Albania, is exceedingly dangerous.", he said.
All you need to know about the protests:
Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, and his investment firm Affinity Partners have been in negotiations to open an estimated $4 billion luxury resort in a protected area on Albania's Adriatic coast.
But protesters have pushed back at the plans, arguing it would damage the local environment. Some are also calling for Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama to resign over the issue.
Here's everything you need to know about the protests.
The Vjosa–Narta Lagoon and Sazan island
The proposed resort would be situated in the Vjosa-Narta Lagoon, a protected wetland area of Albania.
Wetlands International, an NGO that works to protect and restore wetlands, described the wetland as "irreplaceable" and said it is home to more than 200 migratory bird species, flamingos, seals and nesting sea turtles.
Chris Baker, Wetlands International Europe’s director said: “The Vjosa–Narta Lagoon is a uniquely intact and very special Mediterranean wetland, sheltering over 200 bird species and more than 70 endangered species."
"Building luxury resorts inside this protected ecosystem – despite strong protest of local citizens and environmental groups – raises serious doubts about Albania’s readiness to join the EU," he added.
The European Commission has warned Albania that it must act now to avoid jeopardising its bid to join the bloc, which requires it to comply with EU environmental rules.
“Albania should refrain from actions that could undermine the fulfilment of the closing benchmark, in this case Chapter 27, and so we expect the Albanian authorities to act without any delay,” Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier said earlier this week.
As part of the plan, developers are also hoping to transform the uninhabited island of Sazan into a tourist hotspot.
The Albanian Association for the Protection of the Environment said the creation of a luxury resort on the island would present "serious risks to the biodiversity and critical habitats".
Demonstrations
Protests against the project have been ongoing for almost two weeks, with demonstrators holding signs reading "Albania is not for sale," chanting slogans and carrying inflatable flamingos to highlight the potential impact to wildlife in the Vjosa-Narta lagoon.
The Albanian government argues that the project would be transformational for the nation, helping drive fresh tourism in the former communist state.
Prime Minister Rama has also pushed back on environmental concerns.
"In this protest there are well-meaning people, young people interested genuinely to the environment that have been misled big time," he recently told CNN International. "There is not such a thing like a Trump family island. There is not such a thing like the family of the American president taking over protected areas where flamingos will be killed".
Hybrid war
Rama has also suggested that the protests and media attention are being driven in part by a hybrid war against Albania, pointing his finger at Iran.
"There is one malicious actor, Iran," Rama has said of the issue. "This is something that we know for a fact. I never said and I don't say that Iran invented it. I'm saying that Iran jumped in it. Right away. And we are at war with Iran, cyber, since some years now."
Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei rejected Rama's claims.
"It was YOU, sir, who started this. So...you should 'face the music'!" he wrote on X.