Protest in Albania against work on luxury development linked to Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner

[meganl@mas.to]

Interview in Italian with an Albanian member of the diaspora (in Netherlands) who came back to support the protests. Diaspora Albanians came back before this weekend to protest, but there was an organized return of diaspora Albanians just this past Saturday.

He speaks of how the corruption and patronage keep Albanians poor, forcing better-educated anti-corruption Albanians to leave the country.

For decades, Albania's youth have had to emigrate to survive & to support their extended families.

There was no reckoning for the oligarchs under Hoxha. Many of the same people run things now under "democracy".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgoBwf8D-Rk #Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy

[meganl@mas.to]

Carving Up the Adriatic: Why Are Albanians Protesting the Kushner Luxury Resort?

This is not from an Albanian commentator, but from someone who comes from the Balkans and does a good summary of Albanian and regional history that is important to understand to put the Flamingo Revolution into context.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1a92meECMvU #Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy

[meganl@mas.to]

Interview in Italian with an Albanian who was in the diaspora and came back to live in Albania. He speaks of why many in the diaspora are afraid to come back, and of how corruption has gotten worse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3358wzdhFSs #Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy

[meganl@mas.to]

I was unable to post this yesterday, but here's the archive of the livecast of the 23rd day/night of protests in Tirana, the capital of Albania.

There are also protests in other Albanian cities. And also in cities abroad with significant numbers of Albanian diaspora.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMZoKWr84E4 #Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy

[meganl@mas.to]

"For decades, migration from Albania was largely explained by poverty and the search for survival after the collapse of communism. Today, according to researcher Ilir Gëdeshi, the pattern has changed. Migration is increasingly selective and structural. It affects young people, educated people and skilled professionals in disproportionate numbers.

The reasons are no longer only economic. Young Albanians are leaving because they do not see a future at home. The study points to dissatisfaction with corruption, lack of meritocracy, weak trust in institutions, poor services, inadequate infrastructure and the feeling that success depends more on political connections than on talent or work."

https://www.tiranatimes.com/albanias-missing-generation-a-country-losing-its-future-before-2050/ #Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy

[meganl@mas.to]

Brief piece, mostly focusing on a member of the Albanian diaspora who's been living in France but came back for the protest.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMz7zIsYSbo #Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy

[meganl@mas.to]

How Ivanka Trump’s plans for a lux resort sparked The Flamingo Revolution

This is a better report than I expected from a major US network (my expectations are low these days).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNSlGOKqrR8
#Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy

[meganl@mas.to]

The 24th straight day of protests in Tirana, Albania, the capital.

There are also protests in other cities in Albania and at Albanian embassies in countries with significant Albanian diaspora.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkgHVFYvkN0 #Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy #Resistance

[meganl@mas.to]

The 25th day/night of protests in Tirana, Albania. There's a thunderstorm right now and protestors are still out there meeting up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYS-Ln89w-c #Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy #Resistance

[meganl@mas.to]

Albania’s flamingo protests: Will protests stop Trump’s family luxury resort plan? • FRANCE 24

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKKolg5RaVw #Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy #Resistance #USpol

[meganl@mas.to]

The 26th day/night of anti-corruption protests in Tirana, Albania.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBmYNN147dI #Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy #Resistance #FlamingoRevolution

[selvari21106@mastodon.social]

@meganL Has Albania been spared or are these people going out in absolutely roasting temperatures?

[meganl@mas.to]

@Selvari21106 It's hot in Albania, but not as hot as it currently is in France. Yesterday they were out in a heavy thunderstorm still protesting. They're quite committed and inspiring.

#FlamingoRevolution

[selvari21106@mastodon.social]

@meganL respect to that

[meganl@mas.to]

@Selvari21106 Boost things (not necessarily mine, although you can). Pressure from Western Europe helps the mass media keep interested in covering the protest, and that's where most of the pressure they can apply right now comes from.

#FlamingoRevolution

[selvari21106@mastodon.social]

@meganL sure. I have a grand total of four followers so I don't imagine it'll be too helpful but I suppose it can't hurt.

[meganl@mas.to]

@Selvari21106 Haha, good on ya. Well, if you let others you can persuade know and upvote BBC or other coverage of the story, it helps keep media covering this ongoing story.

They tend to get bored with peaceful protests that don't have dramatic camera-ready escalations for them. But long sustained peaceful protest isn't wimpy, esp in this context.

[meganl@mas.to]

Kushner-backed luxury resort sparks outrage, dividing Albanian population • FRANCE 24 English

This includes some interview footage from Albanian scientists and environmentalists, who've been carrying this fight for at least 2 years before it erupted generally in late May.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA2t84BV6xs #Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy #Resistance #FlamingoRevolution

[meganl@mas.to]

27th day/night of anti-corruption protests in Tirana, Albania

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arj1D-miO04

#Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy #Resistance #FlamingoRevolution

[meganl@mas.to]

28th day/night of anti-corruption protests in Tirana, Albania

They've got some new chants, new signs, and someone's projecting onto the Prime Minister's office building.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErUYZKiRZoA
#Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy #Resistance #FlamingoRevolution