TIRANA (Dispatches) - Thousands of Albanians on Saturday protested against a massive coastal hotel development linked to the family of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Protesters gathered in front of government headquarters, chanting slogans, while waving Albanian flags and cardboard pink flamingos, the bird that became the symbol of the protest movement. 
According to organizers, this is the 63rd rally in the capital since the movement began after preparatory work started in Zvernec - a protected nature reserve in the country’s southwest.
The protesters initially gathered at “Skënderbej” Square, from where they started the march along “Dëshmorët e Kombit” Boulevard to then station themselves in front of the Prime Minister’s Office building, where the next speeches by the organizers and participants are being held.
One of the activists at the protest stated that everyone should be in favor of decentralization since power has been concentrated in a few hands.
“In addition to the protest in Tirana, protests have also been held in cities these days because this municipality wants to merge a number of small municipalities. Today we were in Belsh to support them. Today I call on everyone that today we must be for decentralization because autocrats linked to crime are holding power in their hands,” he said.
Another activist called for support for the protest of citizens of municipalities that are being merged by the current government.
He said that there are 15 municipalities that are being centralized by “Edi Rama’s corrupt government”, which according to him is “ready to sell the country for his own interests”.
“Rama is seeking to centralize local government by merging municipalities. They are not only corrupt, but also autocratic and linked to organized crime, as well as to divide Albania for their own interests,” he said.
The activist further appealed for support for these protests in the districts, in order to prevent this government from gaining more power.
“Let’s protest in other cities so that the government does not centralize municipalities and does not become more corrupt. Let’s support the protests of other municipalities in districts that are being merged,” he declared.
The protests are focused on a $4.6 billion luxury hotel and tourism development project connected to the Trump family, planned for the protected natural area of Zvërnec. Opponents say the project threatens the environment and have raised concerns over the legality of the land deals that allowed investors to acquire the site.
The developers also plan to transform the nearby uninhabited island of Sazan, a former secret communist military base, into a high-end tourist destination.
Public anger over corruption allegations has expanded the movement’s demands to include Rama’s resignation. The protests have been dubbed the “Pink Flamingo Revolution” because the protected area is known as a migration destination for the birds.
Several local residents have claimed ownership of parts of the land through decades-old property documents, while Albania’s anti-corruption prosecutors have opened an investigation into the case.
The probe aims to examine how the protected land in Zvërnec was acquired, how ownership was transferred, and why its value reportedly surged from €5.5 million to €122 million within months.