Huge Anti-Corruption Protests in Albania Target Kushner Project and Political Elite

An estimated 200,000 people marched in Tirana overnight between Thursday and Friday, marking the 12th straight night of protests in Albania. The demonstrations were fueled by anger over what protesters call cross-party government corruption, and they centered on a large real-estate project in the country backed by Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of President Donald Trump.

Protesters carried signs attacking both Prime Minister Edi Rama and opposition leader Sali Berisha, accusing them of supporting the project. Public fury intensified after opposition figures said the United States had lifted sanctions on Berisha. Berisha confirmed the reports on social media, writing, “I’m back!”

Berisha was designated persona non grata by then Secretary of State Antony Blinken in May 2021. Blinken accused the former prime minister of “significant corruption,” including misuse of public funds and interference in political processes for his own benefit and that of associates and family members. After Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, Berisha asked the new administration to review his status. He has long argued the sanctions were politically motivated and orchestrated by Rama and billionaire George Soros.

The reported lifting of sanctions, which has not been officially confirmed by Washington, triggered renewed unrest in Tirana. Protesters say the change is linked to Berisha’s support for Kushner’s project and describe it as a “circular deal” in which he advances the business interests of figures tied to the US administration in exchange for clearing his own name. Organizers said the unrest reflects continued systemic corruption that is eroding public trust in state institutions, and they are demanding full transparency about the ties between the “Kushner project” and changes in the legal and international standing of the country’s political leaders.