In a public address, Rama criticized many influencers for earning income through self-promotion on social media without contributing taxes to the government.
Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama shared an AI-generated video showing himself clad in a leather mini skirt and bra on Instagram, seemingly as a jibe at influencers.
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“Kudos to the creator of this,” he wrote alongside the video post.
The clip alludes to remarks Rama delivered on 7 June at a public event, where he mocked bloggers and influencers backing protests against a controversial luxury development associated with Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law, part of which is slated for construction in a protected area.
During that speech, Rama stated that numerous influencers profit by promoting their image on social media while neglecting to pay state taxes.
Rama humorously suggested that “bloggers should compete, one dressed as a flamingo, another as me, and see who comes out on top.”
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During rallies in Tirana, protesters carried cardboard images of pink flamingos, which are among the protected migratory bird species.
Earlier, Rama asserted that influencers joined the protests mainly for publicity and lacked a thorough understanding of the issues.
The government asserts that the planned development on the Adriatic coast would mark a significant change for this former communist country as it aims to enter the luxury tourism market and advance toward European Union accession.
However, the project, which encompasses a protected island and adjacent coastal area in southern Albania, has faced resistance from environmentalists and critics of the long-serving Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama.
The luxury development consists of two parts: coastal construction around the Narta Lagoon, a wildlife sanctuary, and a small resort on Sazan Island, an uninhabited site formerly used as a military base during the communist period.
The planned project for hotels, residences, villas, and a marina is connected to Kushner and Ivanka Trump, daughter of Donald Trump.
An investment company affiliated with Kushner has received special investor status granted by Albanian authorities.
Albania’s 450-kilometer coastline remained largely undeveloped throughout decades of communist rule.
Protest groups fear that influential investors could acquire parts of this untouched coastal area. Public outrage intensified after footage emerged showing an activist being dragged by a private security agent during a demonstration at the site.
The construction is intended within a nature reserve that hosts one of Albania’s richest biodiversity regions, serving as a crucial stopover point for migratory birds along the Adriatic coast.
Since the end of May, excavators and other heavy equipment have been operating in the area, creating access roads, digging into sand, clearing sections of pine forest, and setting up barriers.
Environmental organizations from Albania and Europe have condemned the activity, with a major local group accusing developers of causing “irreversible damage” to protected habitats.
Additional sources • AP