Journalists from the prestigious British magazine Monocle conducted an interview with Prime Minister Edi Rama in his office at the Prime Minister’s Office, at a time when protests against him were continuing outside the building.
According to the article, Rama did not appear as calm and relaxed as in his usual appearances in the international arena, in the presence of foreign journalists who were seeking more information regarding the Trump family’s strategic investments in Zvërnec and Sazan.
Monocle writes that when asked about the protests, Rama stated that he sees no reason to compromise with the protesters, emphasizing that the government was elected with a clear mandate by the majority of Albanians.
The article also posts a photo of Rama from his office, along with the statement that it is expected to be a hot political summer for him.
Full article:
Edi Rama doesn’t seem enthusiastic when Monocle visits his office, but that may have something to do with the protests outside his window in central Tirana.
The lack of friendliness contradicts the image of the tall Albanian prime minister as the statesman-showman of the Western Balkans.
Rama is known for his respectability at international summits: one minute serenading his Italian counterpart, Giorgia Meloni; the next, joking with Emmanuel Macron about Donald Trump’s tendency to confuse Albania with Armenia. Media profiles rave about the artwork decorating his office and his penchant for drawing. They marvel at how close he has brought Albania to EU membership during his 13 years in office, transforming Tirana’s skyline and leading a tourism boom.
But apparently, those journalists haven’t encountered the version of Rama we see. The Monocle photographer is briefly criticized when he asks the prime minister to draw while he poses, then gets another round of criticism when he changes position during the interview. A question about compromising with the protesters is sidelined.
“Why should I reach an agreement?” he says . “They have the right to protest. It is a great achievement for this country to have peaceful protests. But we were elected with a big victory and we have a clear vision. We have a contract with the majority of Albanians. A few thousand people insisting that we should leave are good for the democratic health of the country, but they are not in a position to impose anything.”
But in this case, they are in a position to gain a lot of international attention, largely because of the Trump factor. The US president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is behind proposals for two tourist projects on the Albanian coast – in Zvërnec, near the city of Vlorë, and on the island of Sazan. The government has granted Kushner “strategic investor” status, allowing him to develop luxury accommodations in an area that is supposed to be under environmental protection. The plans have sparked local concerns since they were made public two years ago. Then, in May, protests took hold when security guards at one of the sites assaulted a local man while police were waiting. Video of the incident went viral and sparked an outpouring of anger that spread from the coast to the capital.
Rama is furious at this turn of events. He characterizes Kushner as an investor who is “respectful of our country” and wants to do “everything by the rules.” He also describes the attack on the protester as an “unacceptable episode,” for which officials are now being held accountable. Above all, he dismisses the protesters’ main complaint — that Albanian lands are being sold to wealthy foreigners, with little benefit to locals in what remains one of Europe’s poorest countries.
Tourism accounts for about a quarter of Albania’s GDP, but the prime minister insists the country must move beyond the current model.
“Mass tourism has been a tremendous force for spreading the word about this country, but it is not sustainable for nature, for the air, for the water,” he says. “The stress it brings to the country is not worth it. I’m not saying we should stop, but we need a balance. We need high quality: fewer tourists, but more money.”
Looking out over the Albanian Riviera , Rama’s point seems plausible. A single busy lane bisects the beach, with rows of sunshades and deckchairs belonging to hotels and holiday apartments opposite. Some of them have only recently been built, in response to the increasing number of tourists after the pandemic. Others are still under construction. Even before the start of the peak tourist season, it is starting to feel unusually busy.
At the bar of the Regina Palm Resort is Vasil Bedinaj. His Regina Group owns four hotels in and around Vlora, and he wants to expand. But he is wondering about the wisdom of doing so if Albanian tourism does not evolve. He believes Kushner’s projects can provide an example for others to follow. “We don’t have the experience for this kind of business yet, and to learn, you have to have the best around you,” he says. “And you have to have brands. They will bring in professional workers. And when they do, I can learn from them.”
Others are less optimistic. At the Coastal Gallery, an exhibition by artist Driton Selmani explores Albania’s relationship with tourism through a series of works that include everything from mosaics to bird droppings. Founder and curator Elian Stefa describes it as “a shameless way to reflect on these transformations that are happening here.” He has run the gallery since 2018 and is not convinced that big-money developments will bring meaningful benefits to locals. “The question is about access and accountability. Who will be able to enjoy them and benefit from them?”
Baki Goxhaj, a resident of Vlora, wants the coastal area around the Narta lagoon to remain a haven for flamingos and other birds. He has protested in both Vlora and Tirana. “Public beaches are protected by law and cannot be privatized, but they have essentially been fenced off for 7km to create a private beach,” he says. “We also have the law on protected areas. They changed it to only allow luxury investments. So this is only for special people.”
Similar sentiments are common in Tirana, where people have seen luxury mansions spring up all over the city but haven’t felt the benefits. Keit Zaloshnja is an executive assistant at Vila 31, an artists’ residence where dictator Enver Hoxha once lived in a kind of luxury that would have bewildered Albanian citizens during his rule. She sees a different kind of wealth gap emerging.
“Investors make Albania a hidden gem, so they want to make it beautiful and use all the resources,” she says. “This seems a bit colonial. There needs to be more transparency and dialogue with the public.”
Protesters outside the prime minister’s office aren’t just calling for the Zvërnec project to be canceled. They’re also shouting about the need to improve schools, hospitals and living standards . “I’m taking notes,” Rama says.
“Your enemies can tell you things that are more useful than what your friends tell you.”
With that, he instructs the Monocle photographer to “go outside” and turns to the scribbled papers on his desk. Rama has claimed that sketching helps him focus. This long, hot summer shows no signs of abating. He may need to order some extra pens.