"I am inspired by this movement", The Guardian: "Flamingo Revolution" gains Dua Lipa's support

Dua Lipa's support for the anti-government protests against Rama has received widespread coverage in international media.

In an article published by the British newspaper The Guardian, it is written that the focus is on the world-famous singer's public support for the civic movement, while the British newspaper describes the singer as the most well-known figure to have lined up with the protesters so far.

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Albania's "flamingo revolution" has gained its most prominent supporter yet, after pop star Dua Lipa expressed admiration for the protest movement against a Trump-backed resort in the Balkan country.

As demonstrations against the €1.6 billion (£1.36 billion) real estate project entered its sixth week, the London-born singer, who grew up partly in Pristina, the home of her Kosovo Albanian immigrant parents, described the civic protests as "inspiring".

Addressing the issue in a conversation with Albanian academic and author Lea Ypi on her Service95 Book Club podcast, Lipa said: “I find it very inspiring to see how many people are really interested.”

The project, which partly envisions extensive construction on Sazan, Albania’s only island, is backed by investors led by the US president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and his wife, Ivanka Trump. In a podcast released in May, Trump described the planned resort as “masculine” and beautiful.

The venture accelerated after the Albanian parliament controversially changed strict legislation in December 2024 to allow construction in environmentally sensitive areas. There is no evidence that Kushner had any role in this change.

But it was this action by parliament that Lipa, 30, said raised questions about the government's perceived transparency.

"What actually concerns me is the principle that the government can change the law to remove environmental protections without any kind of public consultation," Lipa told listeners.

In addition to the development in Sazan, the project also plans 10,000 more villas built along a strip of white sandy coastline on the Zvërnec peninsula opposite.

Both are uninhabited and considered nature reserves that host vital ecosystems and wildlife areas for birds and other rare species in the Adriatic. MEPs have warned the EU candidate that accession talks could be jeopardised if environmental standards are not met. Albania had hoped to join the bloc by 2030.

Albania’s Prime Minister, Edi Rama, has called the development — the biggest investment the former communist state has ever seen — “a gift to Europe” and “a blessing” for a nation that, more than 30 years after embracing democracy, remains among the poorest in the West. Despite the opposition, the veteran socialist has steadfastly refused to back down.

Lipa's intervention was greeted with enthusiasm on the 45th day of mass protests in Tirana, the capital of Albania.

Aleksander Trajce, who heads the country's main nature conservation group, the Protection and Conservation of the Natural Environment in Albania (PPNEA), told the Guardian that the singer's comments were not only "fantastic, but also timely".

“It was a very powerful statement. Many, especially young Albanians, who see him as an idol, have been inspired,” he said. “This is the 45th day of our protests and there is no sign that they will stop.”

Asked if there was any sign of a change of attitude at the official level, Trajce added: “The government is now starting to do what it should have done from the beginning, such as conducting an environmental impact study, but in [Zvërnec] the damage has already been done; the works have taken place, there has been an environmental crime and people should be held accountable.”

Despite the protests, the developers say they will move forward responsibly, saying their focus remains on "responsible governance, improving the environment, creating jobs and creating long-term value for local communities."