How the Albania Protests Connect to a Broader Fight Against Corruption (Part 2)

In a previous post for BriberyMatters, I covered the so-called Flamingo Revolution protests, which erupted in Albania against the construction of two resorts, one on a stretch of formerly-protected coastline and the other on a nearby island that was formerly a military site. For this second part of the series, to better understand the underlying dynamics of the situation, I spoke with Esmeralda Ballesha, an Albanian consultant with deep experience in governance, business development, sustainability, and investment policy. 

In our conversation, Ballesha noted that while international attention has focused on the involvement of high-profile foreign investors, that is not what is driving anger and internal debate about the two projects. “The central issue for many Albanians,” she told me, “is citizen engagement in decision-making processes, in turn reflecting concerns about transparency, accountability, governance and institutional effectiveness.” What particularly resonates, Ballesha told me, is the perception that opportunities for meaningful public discussion of major developments have been limited. These concerns, she said, have been developing over a number of years.

Albania’s investment governance framework, Ballesha explained, is structured around several distinct but increasingly interconnected legal regimes, each designed to advance a different public policy objective. In particular, she told me, the Strategic Investments Law (mentioned in the previous blog post) establishes mechanisms to facilitate and accelerate large-scale investments deemed strategically important for economic development, particularly in sectors such as tourism, energy, infrastructure, and agriculture. The Foreign Direct Investment Screening Framework introduces a review mechanism focused on national security and public order, an approach that Ballesha says aligns with emerging European practice. However, its scope is limited to security-related assessments and does not extend to environmental or other planning considerations. Finally, the Environmental and Protected Areas Framework governs activities within protected areas, with an emphasis on conservation and was amended (also discussed in the first piece) to allow regulated development. Given the way these frameworks interact in practice, she said, investment projects fall under a multi-layered regulatory environment in which a single project can be subject to parallel assessments.

Ballesha stressed that Albania remains broadly pro-Western, open to high-quality international investment, and continues to move along the path toward EU accession. But trust and confidence in these processes will depend on transparent procedures, consistent implementation of reforms, and clear communication around projects affecting public assets and protected areas. As the country’s institutional framework continues to evolve, balancing economic development with environmental protection to maintain public support will be the key policy challenge. Moreover, she said, a stable and predictable regulatory environment will benefit investors themselves. Overall, Ballesha emphasized that strong investment governance and attracting foreign investment must be complementary, rather than competing, objectives, as part of Albania’s continued economic development and EU integration agenda.

Marc Schleifer

Governance, Democracy and Economic Development Expert