Thousands of Albanians march against Trump-linked resort

Thousands of Albanians marched in Tirana Saturday calling for the resignation of the country's prime minister and protesting a tourism project linked to the Trump family -- the 42nd consecutive night of such demonstrations.

The marchers were also protesting a concert Saturday by controversial US rapper Kanye West, whose antisemitic rhetoric has led to his performances being banned in some European capitals.

Demonstrators waving Albanian flags chanted slogans against both Prime Minister Edi Rama and the rapper, who now styles himself as "Ye".

Rama met the rapper at his office before the concert, later posting video of the packed event on social media and giving it a five star rating. 

It is difficult to assess how many people demonstrate each night in the capital, but according to AFP journalists on the ground, thousands of people protest every day.

Protesters object to the estimated $4.6-billion luxury hotel development linked to US president Donald Trump's family because it would go ahead in an environmentally protected area, Zvernec.

They say the project threatens a nearby lagoon on the Adriatic coast critical to migrating birds.

Developers also hope to transform the uninhabited island of Sazan -- once a secret communist military base -- into a tourist destination.

Opposition to the project has become a flashpoint for frustrations over perceived corruption. Protesters have called for Rama to step down over what they describe as a lack of transparency.

The movement was dubbed the Flamingo Revolution as the pink birds migrate to a nature reserve where the project is planned. Consequently, many of the protesters carry plastic flamingos at the protests.

Critics of the project have highlighted what they say are serious doubts over the legality of the transactions of investors acquiring the land.

Several local residents have claimed that the land is theirs by virtues of decades-old deeds.

The country's anti-corruption prosecutor's office, SPAK, has opened an investigation.

It wants to know how the land in the protected area of Zvernec was acquired, changed owners and why its value jumped from €5.5 million ($62.7 million) to €122 million ($139 million) over only few months.

They want to establish how the land in the protected area of Zvernec was acquired, how it changed owners and why its value jumped significantly over only few months.

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© Agence France-Presse