Growing Backlash Over Kushner-Linked Luxury Coastal Project
The decision to free the activists comes after intense demonstrations in Albania's capital, where dozens of supporters gathered outside the courthouse to celebrate the announcement. Defence lawyer Dorian Matlija confirmed that while five individuals face no charges, two will be placed under house arrest and 12 are required to report to the judicial police periodically.
The legal developments follow a sharp escalation in violence last Thursday, when hundreds of demonstrators clashed with law enforcement outside parliament. Police deployed tear gas, pepper spray, and water cannons to disperse the crowd after some protesters threw stones and eggs, resulting in injuries to 15 police officers and the initial detention of 25 people.
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The unrest initially began in late May when heavy machinery and barbed-wire fencing appeared on protected coastal beaches designated for a resort project spearheaded by Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner. "The movement has since evolved into a broader anti-corruption drive," noted local observers, as massive crowds now regularly take to the streets demanding systemic political changes.
Public outrage has increasingly targeted political leadership, transforming the environmental dispute into a direct challenge against Prime Minister Edi Rama. This wave of dissent follows earlier political turbulence this year, which saw the dismissal of Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku over separate corruption allegations.