Prime Minister Edi Rama is the focus of an in-depth profile by the prestigious magazine Monocle, which offers a different portrait of Albania’s head of government. From the protests outside the Prime Minister’s Office and the controversy surrounding Jared Kushner’s tourism projects on Albania’s coast, to the ambition of steering the country toward high-end tourism and its European path, the interview reflects both Rama’s vision, as well as the criticism of his opponents and the concerns of citizens. Below is Monocle’s full article.

Full article from Monocle

Edi Rama does not appear particularly enthusiastic when Monocle visits his office, though that may have something to do with the protesters outside his window in central Tirana. His lack of warmth contrasts with the image of the towering Albanian prime minister as the Western Balkans’ showman statesman. Rama is known for his irreverence at international summits: one moment serenading his Italian counterpart, Giorgia Meloni, the next joking with Emmanuel Macron about Donald Trump’s tendency to confuse Albania with Armenia. Media profiles often highlight the artwork decorating his office and his habit of sketching. They marvel at how, during his 13 years in office, he has brought Albania closer to EU membership, transformed Tirana’s skyline and overseen a tourism boom.

Apparently, those journalists have not encountered the version of Rama we meet. Monocle’s photographer is briefly scolded after asking the prime minister to sketch while posing for a photograph, then receives another rebuke for changing position during the interview. A question about reaching a compromise with protesters is brushed aside.

“Why should I reach a compromise?” he says. “They have the right to protest. It is a great achievement for this country to have peaceful protests. But we were elected with a landslide victory and we have a clear vision. We have a contract with the majority of Albanians. A few thousand people insisting that we should leave office are good for the country’s democratic health, but they are not in a position to impose anything.”

In this case, however, they are in a position to attract considerable international attention, largely because of the Trump factor. US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is behind proposals for two tourism developments on Albania’s coast—one in Zvërnec, near the city of Vlorë, and the other on the island of Sazan. The government has granted Kushner “strategic investor” status, allowing him to develop luxury accommodation in an area that is supposed to be environmentally protected. These plans have sparked local concern ever since they became public two years ago.

Then, in May, the protests gained momentum after security guards at one of the sites assaulted a local man while police stood by. Footage of the incident went viral, triggering a wave of outrage that spread from the coast to the capital.

Rama is irritated by this turn of events. He describes Kushner as an investor who is “respectful of our country” and wants to do “everything according to the rules.” He also describes the assault on the protester as “an unacceptable incident,” for which officials are already being held accountable. Above all, he rejects the protesters’ central complaint—that Albanian land is being sold to wealthy foreigners with little benefit for local people in what remains one of Europe’s poorest countries.

Tourism accounts for roughly a quarter of Albania’s GDP, but the prime minister insists that the country must move beyond its current model.

“Mass tourism has been an extraordinary force in spreading the word about this country, but it is not sustainable for nature, the air or the water,” he says. “The strain it places on the country is not worth it. I’m not saying we should stop, but we need balance. We need higher quality: fewer tourists, but more money.”

Looking across the Albanian Riviera, Rama’s point appears convincing. A single congested road separates the beach from rows of parasols and sun loungers belonging to hotels and holiday apartments opposite. Some have only recently been built in response to the surge in tourists since the pandemic. Others are still under construction. Even before the peak tourist season begins, the area already feels extremely crowded.

At the bar of the Regina Palm Resort sits Vasil Bedinaj. His Regina Group owns four hotels in and around Vlorë, and he wants to expand. But he is questioning whether that is wise if Albanian tourism does not evolve. He believes Kushner’s projects could provide a model for others to follow.

“We still don’t have the experience for this type of business and, to learn, you need the best people around you,” he says. “And you need brands. They will bring in professional workers. When they do, I’ll be able to learn from them.”

Others are less optimistic.

At the Coast Gallery, an exhibition by artist Driton Selmani explores Albania’s relationship with tourism through a series of works ranging from mosaics to bird droppings. Founder and curator Elian Stefa describes it as “an unapologetic way of reflecting on the transformations taking place here.” He has run the gallery since 2018 and is unconvinced that large-scale investment will bring meaningful benefits to local communities.

“The question is about access and accountability. Who will actually be able to enjoy these developments and benefit from them?”

Baki Goxhaj, a resident of Vlorë, wants the coastal area around the Narta Lagoon to remain a sanctuary for flamingos and other birds. He has protested in both Vlorë and Tirana.

“Public beaches are protected by law and cannot be privatised, but in practice they have fenced off seven kilometres to create a private beach,” he says. “We also have legislation protecting these areas. They changed it to allow only luxury investments. So this is only for certain people.”

Similar sentiments are common in Tirana, where residents have watched luxury towers rise across the city without feeling the benefits themselves.

Keit Zaloshnja is an executive assistant at Vila 31, an artists’ residence where dictator Enver Hoxha once lived in a level of luxury that would have been unimaginable to ordinary Albanians during his rule. She sees a different kind of wealth gap emerging.

“Investors make Albania a hidden gem, so they want to make it beautiful and use all its resources,” she says. “It feels a bit colonial. There should be more transparency and more dialogue with the public.”

The protesters outside the prime minister’s office are not only calling for the Zvërnec project to be cancelled. They are also demanding better schools, hospitals and living standards.

“I’m taking notes,” Rama says. “Your enemies can tell you things that are more useful than what your friends tell you.”

With that, he instructs Monocle’s photographer to “go outside” and turns back to the papers covered in sketches on his desk. Rama has said that drawing helps him concentrate. This long, hot summer shows no sign of cooling down. He may need to order a few more pens.