Rama to the Financial Times: I am not Albania’s “Godfather”

In a response to the Financial Times, Prime Minister Edi Rama commented on the anti-corruption protests and demands for transparency regarding the luxury resort linked to Donald Trump’s son-in-law.

After several weeks of demonstrations triggered by the project, Rama rejected accusations portraying him as Albania’s “Godfather.” The protests, dubbed the “Flamingo Revolution,” erupted following public anger over Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump’s $4 billion plan on an island and near a nature reserve known for its flamingos. According to protesters, this is an example of systemic corruption that cleared the way for international investors to build in protected areas, and they have therefore called for Rama’s resignation and prosecution.

“People say that I am the leader of all this. I tell them to go to hell. As simple as that,” he said.

“It is not for me to prove that I am not the Godfather; it is for them to prove that I am the Godfather.”

Rama said that Kushner’s investments have been legitimate and that they are unrelated to the investigation underway into a former landowner.

Meanwhile, Albanian prosecutors have issued arrest warrants for more than a dozen businessmen on suspicion of drug trafficking and money laundering, including one person who had previously owned land in the area where Kushner and Ivanka Trump’s project is expected to be developed. A spokesperson for Kushner and his other partners in Albania did not respond to requests for comment.

Albanian anti-corruption prosecutors have issued arrest warrants for 20 businessmen, whom they said were involved in international drug trafficking and money laundering. Billions of euros are suspected to have been funneled into major construction projects along the Adriatic coastline and in the Albanian capital.

Among the names involved is Artur Shehu, a dual U.S.-Albanian citizen living in Miami. In 2025, Shehu sold land near the nature reserve where flamingos nest to “Albania Land Development,” a company linked to the Kushner project. The deal came under review by anti-corruption prosecutors, who froze €128 million in payments until the investigation is completed. Shehu also did not respond to requests for comment.

From his office overlooking the boulevard where tens of thousands of people have protested every night for more than three weeks, Rama told the FT that it was unacceptable to say that Albania’s economy is built on money laundering.

“To say that the Albanian economy has been based on money laundering, that is terrible,” Rama told the FT in his office overlooking the boulevard where tens of thousands of people have demonstrated every night for more than three weeks.

“Money laundering is part of our economy, but it is not such a big problem,” he added.

“Do you think there is no money laundering in London? There is. But can you say that the British economy is largely money laundering? No.”

According to Rama, his government has given prosecutors the ability to act more forcefully on these issues, which, he said, has also increased the perception that Albania is full of corruption and organized crime.

“In fact, it is the opposite. Albania is fighting like never before and is much less corrupt today than it was.”

The prime minister also repeated the claim that the protests have been fueled by opponents of the American president, including Iran.

“There is a lot of interest in killing this project… because of Trump,” he said.

“If it were not Jared Kushner… nobody would care about the flamingos, about Albania, about anything. It is all the hatred against Trump that creates all this scrutiny.”

Rama said he was confident that the coastal development plans would move forward despite the protests.

“The important part is that the investors are not criminals and are not involved in money laundering,” Rama said.

“They are major investors. It is a historic opportunity for Albania.”