For more than 100 days, everyday, Albanians have been gathering in the center of Tirana, in front of the Prime Minister’s Office building and have been protesting against Edi Rama, the incumbent prime minister of Albania. It began as a revolt against construction projects of luxury resorts in protected natural areas like Zvërnec and the Narta Lagoon, backed by the Trump family, and it was named ”The Flamingo Revolution” because these natural areas are home to flamingos and pelicans. But it was and is now more than just about the flamingos: it has gradually evolved into a rebellion against government corruption, political authoritarianism, rising costs of living, lack of perspectives etc.
In this episode I will be talking about the ongoing rebellion in Albania to Ariela Zeneli, a social activist from Tirana. We will be touching upon topics such as the demands of the protests, the repertoire of tactics, the organization of the protests, the relationship with other social and political forces in the country and the Albania of the future that the protesters are fighting for.
The podcast can be listened on youtube:
On SPOTIFY:
Ariela Zeneli has a background in political science and political theory from the University of Tirana. She has been actively involved in student and social movements advocating for youth rights, education, social justice, and democratic participation. Since 2022, she has worked in the non-profit sector, coordinating projects focused on education, youth empowerment, environmental issues, food security, and climate change. She has also contributed to research on garment supply chains in Albania and co-authored a study on youth housing challenges in Tirana and the working conditions in the construction sector.
