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"Fuck you!", Rama responds to corruption allegations in the Financial Times: I am not the "Godfather"

2026-06-23 09:57:46Politikë SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
"Fuck you!", Rama responds to corruption allegations in the Financial
Edi Rama

Prime Minister Edi Rama has given an interview to the prestigious The Financial Times where he commented on the protests that have been taking place for more than 3 weeks in Albania.

Full article:

Prime Minister Edi Rama has denied being the "Godfather" of Albania after weeks of anti-corruption protests sparked by the development of a luxury resort linked to Donald Trump's son-in-law.

The so-called “Flamingo Revolution” was sparked by public anger over a $4 billion project planned by Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump on an island and near a nature reserve known for its flamingos. Protesters have called for Rama’s resignation and his prosecution for what they see as systemic corruption that allows international investors to build on protected lands.

“ People say I’m the leader of all this. I tell them: ‘fuck you’. It’s as simple as that,” he said . “It’s not up to me to prove I’m not the Godfather, it’s up to them to prove I am the Godfather .”

Albanian prosecutors have issued arrest warrants for more than a dozen businessmen for drug trafficking and money laundering, including one who previously owned land in the area where Kushner and his wife, Ivanka Trump, will develop their project.

A spokesman for Kushner and his other partners in Albania did not respond to requests for comment.

Rama insisted that Kushner's investments are regular and that there is no connection to the ongoing investigation into a former landowner.

“ To say that the Albanian economy is based on money laundering, that is terrible ,” Rama told the Financial Times in his office, overlooking the boulevard where tens of thousands of people have protested every evening for more than three weeks.

“ Money laundering is part of our economy, but it’s not that big of a problem ,” he added. “ Do you think there’s no money laundering in London? There is. But would you say the British economy is largely money laundering? No. ”

Albanian anti-corruption prosecutors have issued arrest warrants for 20 businessmen they say were involved in international drug trafficking and money laundering, with billions of euros allegedly funneled into major construction projects along the Adriatic coast and in the Albanian capital.

Among the businessmen targeted is Artur Shehu, a dual American-Albanian citizen living in Miami. In 2025, Shehu sold land near a nature reserve where flamingos nest to Albania Land Development, a company linked to Kushner's project. That deal came under scrutiny by anti-corruption prosecutors, who froze payments worth 128 million euros pending an investigation.

Shehu did not respond to requests for comment.

Rama argued that his government has allowed prosecutors to pursue cases more aggressively, which has also increased the perception that the country is riddled with corruption and organized crime. “In fact, it is the opposite. Albania is struggling like never before and today is much less corrupt than it used to be.”

He repeated claims that the protests have been instigated by opponents of the US president, including Iran.

“ There’s a lot of interest in killing this project… because of Trump ,” he said. “ If it weren’t for Jared Kushner… nobody would care about flamingos or Albania or anything. It’s all the hate against Trump that’s creating all this attention and scrutiny. ”

He said he is confident that plans for coastal development will 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 big investors. It is a historic opportunity for Albania .”


Në përputhje me standarded JTI

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