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Thirty-five years later, most Albanians own only limited land, while strategic investors acquire large coastal properties through dubious transactions, controversial expropriations, and alleged manipulation of property records...
Large-scale tourism projects in coastal areas are raising extraordinary concerns due to favorable laws that allow the expropriation of private property. Recent legal changes are seriously threatening protected ecosystems and are fueling nationwide protests against corruption and the alienation of public assets.
Recent developments on the Albanian coast, and in particular the luxury project in Zvërnec, have sparked a wide wave of reactions that have now transformed into a powerful civic movement. To better understand the impact of these megaprojects on local communities, the environment and the rule of law, we spoke with Eva Kushova, Director of the Destination Management Organization in Albania.
What are the impacts of Albania's laws on foreign investments?
The Law on Strategic Investments was adopted in 2015 to attract foreign investment and boost Albania's economy. Its deadline has been extended several times since then, most recently until 2027.
In practice, it has become a tool for serious abuse. Unlike ordinary investment laws, it gives the state the power to expropriate private property on behalf of investors, often for compensation well below market value. Some residents say they were forced off their land after refusing this compensation.
Despite the law's stated purpose, only two of the approximately 44 projects approved so far are foreign investments in total. The majority are owned by domestic investors with close ties to the government.
This system gives selected companies access to public land, beaches, forests and national assets, as well as grants them tax exemptions for up to 10 years. The state also pays for all necessary infrastructure, including electricity, roads, telecommunications and water, effectively subsidizing private profit.
In some cases, water intended for villages has been diverted to supply resort swimming pools. Meanwhile, local communities lose access to the beach and remain economically marginalized.
What does the Zvërnec case reveal about how these agreements are made?
The Zvërnec project, a planned luxury resort on the coast near Vlora, in southern Albania, comprising about 10,000 accommodation units, attracted international attention because of its links to the family of US President Donald Trump, but it exposed wider governance failures.
It involves a large property allegedly acquired by an internationally wanted drug trafficker under highly suspicious circumstances, and there are also allegations that officials manipulated ownership records in the regional land registry.
Many local residents claim ownership of this land, yet it was suddenly recognized as the property of the trafficker, who then sold it to Arab investors. This fits into a broader pattern in land management in Albania.
After the fall of communism in 1991, the law mandated the distribution of agricultural land to rural families in small plots.
Thirty-five years later, most Albanians own only limited land, while strategic investors acquire large coastal properties through dubious transactions, controversial expropriations, and alleged manipulation of property records.
Property rights have remained unresolved for more than 30 years, forcing people into costly legal proceedings. The secrecy surrounding the Zvërnec agreement is also typical.
The public only learns about the projects after construction machinery arrives at the site. News of Zvërnec and Sazan Island, an island off the Adriatic coast of Albania earmarked for luxury development, circulated through international media in March 2024.
Even now, the identity and ownership of the investors behind some of these projects remain unclear, and the construction sites are surrounded by barbed wire. Authorities say this is being done in preparation for infrastructure works, fueling further distrust.
What environmental damage have these developments caused?
The Zvërnec Coast is home to the Narta Lagoon, one of the richest biodiversity areas in Albania and a critical stopping point for thousands of migratory birds traveling between Africa and Europe.
It was first threatened by the construction of the Vlora International Airport and now by the Zvërnec resort. The legal basis was laid in 2022, when the government removed thousands of hectares from protected areas, reducing the total protected area by 20 percent.
In 2024, another law opened the door to construction within protected areas, allowing the transformation of one of Albania’s last wild coastal lagoons into a heavily urbanized area. A further law passed in 2025 extended the threat to forests and pastures elsewhere in the country.
This conflicts with Albania's goal of membership in the European Union (EU), planned for 2030. All candidate countries must approximate their laws to EU standards in 33 negotiating chapters before accession, and chapter 27 covers environmental protection.
The European Commission's Enlargement Report for 2025 raised serious concerns in this regard, criticizing recent legal changes for weakening environmental standards.
The Standing Committee of the Bern Convention, an international body that protects European wildlife and habitats, has repeatedly urged the Albanian government to suspend the construction of Vlora International Airport within the Pishë Poro–Nartë Protected Area, which includes the lagoon, pending a proper environmental assessment. So far, these requests have gone unanswered.
But continued EU pressure could still force the repeal of regressive laws and the establishment of stronger protections for natural areas.
What has prompted the recent protests and how has it been responded to?
Protests began on May 23 in Zvërnec after a developer fenced off part of the beach with barbed wire. They intensified after footage emerged on May 30 showing private security guards beating a protester while police stood by without intervening.
The movement spread to the capital, Tirana, the next day, then to other cities in Albania, Kosovo, and diaspora communities abroad, becoming known as the "Flamingo Revolution".
Protesters have marched every night since then under the slogan "Albania is not for sale," demanding the cancellation of the project and the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.
What began as opposition to a single resort has expanded into a broader movement against corruption, with protesters also citing other grievances, such as poor public health.
A nationwide protest on June 10 deliberately coincided with a national historical commemoration, bringing together Albanians from the diaspora on five continents. However, Rama has remained defiant, arguing that the backlash has more to do with ties to Trump than the project itself.
However, there are encouraging signs of accountability. The Special Structure against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK), an independent judicial body created in 2016, has launched an investigation into the 2024 legal changes that enabled the Zvërnec agreement.
Arrest warrants have been issued for about 20 businessmen suspected of illegally obtaining land or permits related to various projects. People hope that public pressure will keep judicial investigations alive, ensuring accountability for abuses of power, environmental damage and violations of property rights./ Adapted from "Pamphlet" by "ipsnews"
Kush qe ai bir bushtre qe na e shpiku kete termin qelbesire 'investim strategjik'. Kush ua mesoi, Izraelitet, Ameriqenet apo Euroqenet?