Protests continue in Albania
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
The Clare Byrne Show on Newstalk with Aviva Insurance.
What are the protests in Albania about?
Well, protests continue in Albania over the plans of Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to build a luxury resort on Albania's only island, Sazan. And joining me to discuss the latest updates in Albania is Helena Smith, The Guardian's Athens-based correspondent. You're welcome to the show, Helena. Thank you for being with us.
Pleasure, pleasure.
So these protests, they've been going on now for some weeks. What's been happening?
Why is Jared Kushner's resort project controversial?
Well, this weekend saw the biggest protest ever, the 35th protest in a row. They've been going on for over a month. And basically what started as an environmental outcry over these, Jared Kushner, who of course is married to Ivanka Trump, the eldest daughter of, of the U.S.
How has the Albanian government responded to the protests?
president, a Jared Kushner-linked real estate project that would see vast tracts of protected areas, ecologically sensitive areas in the south of Albania being developed. In one case, a 10,000 villa super luxury resort being built on a stretch of beautiful land. I saw it with my own eyes just a few days ago. Opposite Cezanne, there are in fact two projects, one on Cezanne, Albania's only island, and one across the water on this peninsula, both linked to Gerald Kushner, both having drawn the incredible ire and voice of protests and dissidents from Albanians across the country, and indeed across the Albanian diaspora. We've seen lots and lots of Albanians from the UK, from America, flying into Albania simply to join these protests.
And the Prime Minister in Albania is supportive of this Kushner project, isn't he?
He is very much supportive of it. Why?
What role does foreign investment play in Albania's economy?
Because it is the biggest foreign investment that Albania has had to date. And he sees himself as pioneering, leading this battle to bring foreign direct investment into into what still remains one of the poorest countries in Europe, on the continent of Europe. And of course, until 30 years ago, was subject to one of the most brutal forms, if not the most brutal form of communism. It was a Stalinist regime, very, very closed off from the rest of the world. So Albanians do take their democracy very seriously.
So how did the Trump Kushners discover this? Well, Ivanka has said, hasn't she, in a podcast that they were on a friend's boat. I assume it was a very nice yacht.
How did the Trump family discover Sazan Island?
We stopped for a swim and we swam to the island. We went on a hike all the way up to the top and we were just captivated. So they passed it and they said, we'll have that.
Sort of almost. That's almost what she's suggesting. There's a bit of Christopher Columbus or that or at least that is what Albanian protesters say slant about this story that this rich, entitled woman was on a boat, happens to be the US president's daughter. This is all in their words. saw this beautiful island. It seemed to be uninhabited.
What impact could the protests have on Albania's EU aspirations?
Indeed, it is uninhabited. It was a former military base, but has been uninhabited for the last 25 years. Fell in love with it, had an almost spiritual connection with the place, walked up to the top of one of the mountains on the island, barefoot and decided that was it. She was going with her real estate investor husband. She was going to develop it. All of this happened a couple of years ago. The couple were said to be traveling with their great friend Nat Rothschild. This cannot be confirmed on his super-duper yacht when they sailed past the island. Nat Rothschild is, of course, has connections with Corfu, which is very, very close to Albania.
Now, this could cause problems for Albania as well when it comes to their desire to become part of the European Union because there are MEPs saying this is going to be a problem if you don't change course over this. In particular, there's a Dutch MEP who is going to lead a fact-finding mission to Albania and this could be very problematic for the country, couldn't it?
Indeed. In fact, that Dutch MEP has actually been to Albania, has led that fact-finding mission to the tiny Balkan nation, and has come away rather unimpressed, very impressed by the scale and devotion of protesters to these demonstrations, most of which are concentrated in Tirana, indeed on the boulevard right outside the Prime Minister's office, a 1930s building.
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Chapters
7 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:01–0:09
2
What are the protests in Albania about?
0:09–0:37
3
Why is Jared Kushner's resort project controversial?
0:37–1:00
4
How has the Albanian government responded to the protests?
1:00–2:13
5
What role does foreign investment play in Albania's economy?
2:13–3:03
6
How did the Trump family discover Sazan Island?
3:03–3:40
7
What impact could the protests have on Albania's EU aspirations?
3:40–8:02