FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
The protest of the residents of Rrjoll, also covered by the prestigious British newspaper The Guardian, comes within the context of a wave of protests that have been taking place in various areas of the country for 13 days against the government's policies on strategic investments, with protesters demanding the protection of private property and more transparency for tourism projects on the coast...
The protest held this weekend in the Velipoja area has attracted the attention of international media, with the prestigious British newspaper " The Guardian " dedicating an article to the residents' revolt against the construction of the Bashkim Ulaj resort. Not only that, but the news was given a very large space on the page, ranking second.
The British newspaper lists the protest among the latest cases that are highlighting the growing dissatisfaction of local communities towards large tourism projects in highly environmentally sensitive areas in Albania.
According to The Guardian, about 200 protesters gathered in Rrjoll on Saturday, tearing down metal fences and barbed wire surrounding the construction site of a luxury tourist project. The residents, who carried national flags and chanted “Revolution,” oppose the construction, claiming that the project is being developed on land that was unjustly taken from them.
British media points out that the protest in Rrjoll comes just a few weeks after strong opposition to another tourist project in the south of the country, near Vlora, where activists and residents have protested against a luxury resort linked to companies that have received support from Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump.
During the protest in Rrjoll, there were also minor clashes with law enforcement, however, the police did not intervene to prevent the protesters from removing the fence placed in the area where the works are taking place.
Writing
About 200 protesters on Saturday tore down metal and barbed wire fences surrounding a luxury development site on Albania's Adriatic coast, in another sign of growing anger against construction in environmentally sensitive areas.
Albanians have been protesting for weeks against a planned luxury resort backed by a company linked to Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law, near Vlora, which is famous for flamingos and a nesting site for turtles.
On Saturday, residents from Rrjolli, located in an area of sandy beaches and pine forests in northwestern Albania, protested against another project, saying it was being built on their confiscated land.
They waved Albanian national flags and shouted “Revolution!” as they tore down the fences. There were some scuffles with the police, but the police did not stop them from removing the fences.
"The protests will not stop until the residents of Rrjoll village are compensated. We are 200 families whose land has been seized," said Zeke Nikollë Shullani, 56, one of the landowners who has been protesting for several months.
An Albanian company has been developing a five-star luxury tourist resort in that country and the project was granted "investor with special status" by the Albanian government.
"What's happening in this place is crazy. We asked investors to come and consult with the people, but they refused. Do they think they can take all this wealth without bloodshed or anything else that could happen here?" said Nikolin Markpalaj, 60, another local landowner.
Kur nuk do ta leja banditëve te Ramutit e Salehut këto pisllëqe Ngrehuni i popull, shporrim keta bandit te kriminel qeveritar.