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Rama "stabs" neighbors: Not every country wants Albania to invest in Zvërnec

2026-06-01 18:41:00, Politikë CNA

Rama "stabs" neighbors: Not every country wants Albania to invest in

Prime Minister Edi Rama reacted regarding the investment project in Zvërnec and the protests against it, during the meeting in Berat for the 35th anniversary of the Socialist Party.

Rama stated that such investments are desired by every country, but not every country wants such investments to be made in Albania, as according to him they mobilize different sectors of the economy, including agriculture, livestock and transport, as well as create income that is distributed throughout the economic chain.

According to the Prime Minister, the transformation of Vlora's coastline has brought a significant increase in property values, emphasizing that even before the investment has begun, their value has increased fourfold.

Commenting on the slogans against the project, Rama said that no one has questioned the fact that Albania belongs to Albanians. He questioned whether the country should be afraid of investments and development, while it aims to compete at the highest levels of tourism.

The Prime Minister called on opponents of the project to present concrete arguments on the damages it could cause. According to him, this is not possible at this stage, as the project has not yet been completed and has been in the works for three years.

Rama said that the government has maintained a demanding stance on the standards of the project, which according to him is expected to bring about 4 billion euros in investments to Albania. He added that the environmental study is being carried out by prestigious international experts and researchers and that without the completion of all procedures, a construction permit cannot be granted.

In his speech, the Prime Minister accused several individuals and groups of spreading disinformation about the project, referring to claims that the Zvërnec area has been sold to Israel or that Palestinians will be settled there. He described these claims as manipulations based on half-truths.

Rama also condemned the publication of videos and calls that, according to him, incite hatred and violence against individuals involved in recent events, describing this phenomenon as one of the consequences of manipulation on social networks.

In conclusion, the Prime Minister raised the question of what the opposition to the project is based on, describing the recent incident related to the protests against the investment in Zvërnec as scandalous.

"Investments like this one in Zvërnec are investments that every country needs, and not every country wants Albania to make them."

These are investments that mobilize what is around them, they mobilize farmers, livestock farmers, the transportation system. They mobilize income that is distributed in this chain, increasing the value of the real estate of those around them and throughout Albania.

Today, the transformation of the entire coastline of Vlora, without even starting investment, has increased the value of properties fourfold.

What does "We will not give Albania to foreigners" mean?

What does it mean that Albania belongs to Albanians? Who has put it into question? The question is how we will make Albanians feel: as citizens who are equal in everything, or as citizens of a country that, unlike others, has the potential to become competitive in the highest league of tourism, but is afraid to invest in development.

Whoever protests must bring it out and show the project they are protesting about. And say: this project damages this, this, this. They can't bring it out, because it's not finished. It's a project that has been in the works for three years.

We, on your behalf, have maintained a very demanding stance at all times regarding the standards of a project that will bring 4 billion euros to Albania. We have been very demanding regarding all these concerns, regarding those who fall prey to the manipulators of some pseudo-Muslims without religion, without faith, without the Quran, who spread everywhere a scandalous legend that Zvërnec has been sold to Israel and that Palestinians will come there.

They even spread videos demanding to know the name, surname, and residence of that guard who committed that scandalous act and they want him, because they want to kill him, and they say so, and they put lek and euros on their dirty pages, calling for hatred, confusing things in a way that the democratic world fears today: the manipulation of social networks.

This is a big manipulation, based on half-truths. What kind of Muslims are they? What connection do they have with Allah? What connection does it have with the Greek media? Is the Greek media concerned about what is happening in Albania?

No one is releasing the project, because it is being worked on by the best companies in the world. The environmental study is being done by the most prestigious researchers in the world, because we requested it. Without all of this, there is no construction permit.

"What is the controversy about? What happened was scandalous," Rama said.