The Flamingo Revolution
By Laura Meli ‘28
In the summer of 2021, Ivanka Trump, alongside her husband, Jared Kushner, ‘founded’ Sazan Island while riding on a friend’s yacht. National Geographic describes Sazan Island as a “strategically situated [island] where the Adriatic and Ionian Seas meet.” Historically, the island has been ruled by the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, the Republic of Venice, and Albanian lords. Its location enabled easy access to trade routes and, consequently, from 45 B.C. until the 15th century, the Romans, Ottomans, and Venetians fought tooth and nail over Sazan. The battle for acquisition lasted during both World Wars I and II. During World War II, Mussolini—Italy’s dictator—had dreams of conquering the greater Balkan area. He led a successful operation to occupy the Albanian port of Vlor. that enabled him to occupy the island before it: Sazan. The island was used by both Italian and German forces as a military base, with naval and submarine bases guarding the entrance to Vlor. Conflict over ownership of Sazan remained unresolved until the Paris Treaty of 1947, which brought stability in a proprietary world: it returned the base to Albanian ownership. Thus, claiming the island was discovered just five years ago is distortion, negationism, and the erasure of history.
But, alas, the world is not concerned with the Kushners’ and the Trumps’ pseudohistory. We are concerned with their audacity. In 2024, Kushner initiated a real estate proposal through his investment firm, Affinity Partners. According to Reuters, the deal involved a $1.6 billion luxury tourism development project on Sazan Island and the protected coastal areas of Zvernec. In other words, it would transform the formerly endangered military base and parts of Zvernec into luxury villas and resorts. The deal would not only affect the constituents of Albania but also target the coastal areas that serve as homes for Albania’s wildlife. An example includes the flamingo, which is typically found in the very areas that Kushner will transform into luxury estates. As such, the rising revolution against Kushner is named The Flamingo Revolution, as it seeks to remind us that the Kushners are endangering not only the lives of wildlife but also those of their constituents.
The deal was approved in 2025 by current Albanian prime minister Edi Rama. Politico reported that Rama shared, “I wish we will finally have the deal because if their [Kushner’s company] investment will go through, it will be a beautiful present … to make to Europe.” In the same interview, he added that it was “about beauty, about sustainable development.” In other interviews, he does not fail to mention the economic benefits associated with the rise of jobs in the new resorts. Rama’s recent association with government corruption and past allegations of voter fraud, intimidation, and vote buying make his claims of transparency questionable.
In 1999, U.S. intervention saved ethnic Albanian people from Serbia’s ethnic cleansing and genocide. In 2026, Reuters revealed that Serbia’s minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, Snežana Paunović, stated that if she were in the shoes of Milošević— Serbia’s former president— she would have ethnically cleansed Kosovo. Albania remains forever grateful for the United States’ and NATO’s interventions in 1999 and now, perhaps more than ever, needs American support once again. Rama’s intentions of ‘selling’ Sazan Island to President Trump’s daughter and son-in-law might just be the way to ensure a lasting alliance between Albania and its most powerful ally. From Rama’s perspective, it may appear that he is trying to protect the Albanian people from Serbian threats through U.S. partnership, following past precedent.
However, despite the intentions behind his choice, Rama failed to consider the opinions of his fellow constituents. According to The Revelator, Albanians took to the streets of Skanderbeg Square, in the capital city of Albania, chanting, “The Escobar of the Balkans! You budget thief! We won’t leave until you resign! HEY RAMA, GET OUT NOW!” These lyrics were inspired by Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall”. Skanderbeg Square has been described as “the heart of the movement” in which the youth of Albania have been protesting against Rama and the Kushner deals on a daily basis. Students are refusing to return to school and have been increasing their violence with each passing day. Protests escalated when citizens outside the Albanian Parliament tore down security fences and attacked police officers with rocks, resulting in the arrests and injuries of many Albanian officers and students.
As an Albanian immigrant myself, while I may understand Rama’s potential motives, it will never make up for the trust he has compromised. I have only one message for Edi Rama, and it may mirror that of my fellow Albanian citizens: OUR COUNTRY IS NOT FOR SALE.
Source: The Copenhagen Post