More than a month Albania shaken by protests caused by plans for the construction of a luxury tourist complex associated with Jared Kushner.
In the meantime, Albanian prosecutors announced that they have "sufficient evidence" that indicates the involvement of a businessman in the drug trade, and it was he who sold part of the land intended for the project to a company connected to an investment group that includes Kushner.
Mass demonstrations were held in Tirana on Saturday, for the 35th consecutive day, and those gathered demanded the resignation of the prime minister Edija Rama, the formation of a temporary government, the implementation of constitutional reform and a more determined fight against corruption. As AP reports, tens of thousands of people marched along the city's main boulevard to Skanderbeg Square.
During the protest, chants of "New Albania" echoed, while protesters called on Rama to resign.
Special attention was attracted by the large bust of the Albanian Prime Minister, which the participants of the protest pulled down with the help of a rope. The act recalled the demolition of a monument to longtime communist leader Enver Hoxha in February 1991, an event traditionally commemorated in Albania every February 20.
As the demonstration took place the day after Rama's 62nd birthday, some participants carried "birthday cakes" made of concrete, alluding to the large number of construction projects promoted by his government. However, the coffin that the demonstrators carried during the protest caused the most controversy and condemnation on social networks.
Photo: AP Photo/Hameraldi AgolliProtests in Albania as part of the so-called "flamingo revolution"
Pink balloons in the shape of flamingos could also be seen among the crowd. Environmentalists warn that this species of bird could be endangered by the planned construction of a tourist complex, which is why the public protests have been called the "flamingo revolution".
The demonstrations began over a project to build a luxury resort in a protected natural area, which has been linked to Jared Kushner, son-in-law and former adviser to US President Donald Trump.
For more than a month, thousands of citizens have taken to the streets of Tirana protesting not only against the construction itself, but also against the law that enables the realization of that project in an area of exceptional natural importance.
Prosecutors: There is enough evidence
Meanwhile, Albania's Special Prosecutor's Office for Combating Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) has announced investigations involving multiple investments in Tirana and along the coast. Arrest warrants have been issued for 20 unnamed businessmen suspected of drug trafficking and money laundering. Among them is a former owner of the land on the site where the resort of the investment company Affinity Partners, connected to Kushner, should be built.
Citing court documents, CBS News states that it is about the Albanian-American businessman Artur Sheh, a resident of Miami, who sold the land intended for the realization of the project behind which Kushner stands.
According to court documents dated June 10, cited by CBS, Albanian prosecutors claim there is "sufficient evidence" pointing to Sehu's involvement in drug trafficking, as well as "sufficient data" indicating he falsified financial documents related to other construction and real estate projects. As stated, he sold part of the land intended for the future complex to the company "Albania Land Development LLC", connected to the investor group in which Kushner also participates. In addition to the investigations mentioned in the court documents, the Albanian authorities are additionally checking this particular transaction.
Photo: AP Photo/Hameraldi AgolliProtests in Albania as part of the so-called "flamingo revolution"
The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) announced last month that it had obtained a court order confirming the freezing of a bank account containing more than $127 million in land sales money "between Arthur Shehu and Albania Land Development."
According to OCCRP, SPAK prosecutors are also investigating whether Šehu acquired the land intended for the project by fraud. A spokesman for SPAK told CBS News in June that an investigation into the planned investment had been launched, but stressed that it "does not relate to any company associated with Kushner."
Appearing on Albanian television last month, Sehu said his ownership of the land was "indisputable" and that he sold the plot to investors through an intermediary whose identity he did not want to reveal. He added that he did not know who the final buyer of the land was, Reuters reported.
Publicly available documentation shows that the company "Albania Land Development", to which Šehu sold the land, is owned by a complex network of fictitious companies. Among them is "Sazan real estate development LLC", registered in Qatar.
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