They spent the night in front of the Prime Minister's Office, police demand the protesters leave

"The main protest in Tirana starts at 6pm every night (so those who work day jobs can attend).

This hardy group tried to set up overnight outside the prime minister's office with chairs and patio umbrellas. The police didn't like that."

The auto-translate is bad. What they're chanting is "Rama (the PM's surname) resign!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPCrU1S0Qao #Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #EU #FlamingoRevolution #Democracy

Protestë historike para Kryeministrisë. Dita e 22-të e revoltës për dorëheqjen e Edi Ramës

22nd day/night of protests. Usually a big group gathers by 6pm, but it looks like they're talking with folks who are still demonstrating (after an overnight presence) in front of the PM's building.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GG6Ci1xqfY #Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #EU #FlamingoRevolution #Democracy

Albania’s Street Revolt Turns (Party) Political

"The protest, now in its 21st consecutive day, has become openly political. It is no longer mainly about the disputed Zvërnec project, nor only about the lack of transparency surrounding so-called strategic investment projects. Zvërnec was the match that lit a much larger fire.

That fire had been building for years: over bad governance, corruption, arrogance, institutional deafness, the concentration of power in one man’s hands and the personalization of authority. For many protesters, Albania no longer resembles a functioning parliamentary democracy. As one local analyst put it, the country has come to look more like a sultanate, where one person controls and directs almost everything."

https://www.tiranatimes.com/albanias-street-revolt-turns-political/

#Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #EU #FlamingoRevolution #Democracy

Revolta në Kakome: Rrëzohet rrethimi që prej dy dekadash pengonte hyrjen në plazh

Machine translation: Kakome riots: The fence that had blocked access to the beach for two decades has collapsed

Kakome is between Sazan Island (where Kusher development deal is) and the Greek Island of Corfu, further down along the Albanian coast.

"The civic uprising in Kakome has brought down the fence that had been preventing citizens from freely accessing the beach for nearly 20 years. This development has been seen by many participants as a symbol of the strength of civic unity. According to them, citizens have understood that only united can they protect rights, property and the public interest, taking their destiny and that of the country into their own hands."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WA_OmVPshKc

#Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #FlamingoRevolution #Democracy

Interview in Italian with an Albanian member of the diaspora (in Netherlands) who came back to support the protests. Diaspora Albanians came back before this weekend to protest, but there was an organized return of diaspora Albanians just this past Saturday.

He speaks of how the corruption and patronage keep Albanians poor, forcing better-educated anti-corruption Albanians to leave the country.

For decades, Albania's youth have had to emigrate to survive & to support their extended families.

There was no reckoning for the oligarchs under Hoxha. Many of the same people run things now under "democracy".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgoBwf8D-Rk #Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy

Carving Up the Adriatic: Why Are Albanians Protesting the Kushner Luxury Resort?

This is not from an Albanian commentator, but from someone who comes from the Balkans and does a good summary of Albanian and regional history that is important to understand to put the Flamingo Revolution into context.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1a92meECMvU #Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy

Interview in Italian with an Albanian who was in the diaspora and came back to live in Albania. He speaks of why many in the diaspora are afraid to come back, and of how corruption has gotten worse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3358wzdhFSs #Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy

I was unable to post this yesterday, but here's the archive of the livecast of the 23rd day/night of protests in Tirana, the capital of Albania.

There are also protests in other Albanian cities. And also in cities abroad with significant numbers of Albanian diaspora.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMZoKWr84E4 #Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy

"For decades, migration from Albania was largely explained by poverty and the search for survival after the collapse of communism. Today, according to researcher Ilir Gëdeshi, the pattern has changed. Migration is increasingly selective and structural. It affects young people, educated people and skilled professionals in disproportionate numbers.

The reasons are no longer only economic. Young Albanians are leaving because they do not see a future at home. The study points to dissatisfaction with corruption, lack of meritocracy, weak trust in institutions, poor services, inadequate infrastructure and the feeling that success depends more on political connections than on talent or work."

https://www.tiranatimes.com/albanias-missing-generation-a-country-losing-its-future-before-2050/ #Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy

Brief piece, mostly focusing on a member of the Albanian diaspora who's been living in France but came back for the protest.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMz7zIsYSbo #Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy

How Ivanka Trump’s plans for a lux resort sparked The Flamingo Revolution

This is a better report than I expected from a major US network (my expectations are low these days).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNSlGOKqrR8
#Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy

The 24th straight day of protests in Tirana, Albania, the capital.

There are also protests in other cities in Albania and at Albanian embassies in countries with significant Albanian diaspora.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkgHVFYvkN0 #Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy #Resistance

The 25th day/night of protests in Tirana, Albania. There's a thunderstorm right now and protestors are still out there meeting up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYS-Ln89w-c #Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy #Resistance

Albania’s flamingo protests: Will protests stop Trump’s family luxury resort plan? • FRANCE 24

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKKolg5RaVw #Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy #Resistance #USpol

The 26th day/night of anti-corruption protests in Tirana, Albania.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBmYNN147dI #Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy #Resistance #FlamingoRevolution

Kushner-backed luxury resort sparks outrage, dividing Albanian population • FRANCE 24 English

This includes some interview footage from Albanian scientists and environmentalists, who've been carrying this fight for at least 2 years before it erupted generally in late May.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA2t84BV6xs #Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy #Resistance #FlamingoRevolution

27th day/night of anti-corruption protests in Tirana, Albania

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arj1D-miO04

#Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy #Resistance #FlamingoRevolution

28th day/night of anti-corruption protests in Tirana, Albania

They've got some new chants, new signs, and someone's projecting onto the Prime Minister's office building.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErUYZKiRZoA
#Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy #Resistance #FlamingoRevolution

Albania's "Flamingo revolution": Trump-linked luxury resort plan triggers mass protests

"Protests in Albania entered their fifth week on Saturday, with demonstrations that began in May over a planned luxury resort project linked to the Trump family. Since then, the movement has expanded into a broader criticism of Prime Minister Edi Rama and his government, with protesters raising wider concerns about governance and political accountability. Vladimir Karaj, a journalist and editor at the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, joins us from Tirana for further insights."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgm6m4O4EvY #Albania #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy #Resistance #FlamingoRevolution

29th day/night of anti-corruption protest in Tirana, #Albania

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flsxU50Ubr0 #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy #Resistance #FlamingoRevolution

Albanians keep protesting against Jared Kushner-linked resort project

They interview two Albanians who speak English.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmTglc2flDM #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy #Resistance #FlamingoRevolution #Albania

Day 30 of anti-corruption protests in Tirana, Albania.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTptRlikdfc #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy #Resistance #FlamingoRevolution #Albania

31st day of anti-corruption protests in Tirana, Albania.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndgAANbwWBg #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy #Resistance #FlamingoRevolution #Albania

“Lironi çunat!”/ Protestuesit marrin vendimin: Protesta e orës 19:00 do të nisë që tani!

Machine translation:""Free the kids!"/ Protesters make the decision: The 7:00 PM protest will start now!"

3 protestors were apparently arrested earlier today and news reporters are gathered around the police station while MPs from the Mundësia Party are trying to find out which police station they've been taken to. More on the Mundësia Party here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opportunity_Party_(Albania)

(The MPs come out and say 6 were arrested and two each were taken to 3 different police stations.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItTnOMYkk3s #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy #Resistance #FlamingoRevolution #Albania

"Ne u dhamë ujë për të pirë, ata na dhunuan”, protestuesi: Policia tentoi të na provokojë!"

GT keeps translating 'dhunuan' as 'rape', but I'm guessing assault is a better translation.

According to one of the speakers, they were able to pressure the release of the arrested protestors.

One advantage of a video like this is because it's not live, you can use machine-translated craptions on it to get the gist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kexk9xkCdH8
#Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy #Resistance #FlamingoRevolution #Albania

Protesters demand that SPAK investigate Rama/Activist submits “Albanian Files” to the Prosecutor's Office

"Protestuesit kërkojnë që SPAK të hetojë Ramën/ Aktivistja dorëzon në Prokurori “Albanian Files”"

Protestors say that peaceful protestors were assaulted by state police yesterday, arrested and separated to 3 different police stations. MPs from the Mundësia Party went to find out where they were and to press for their release. Protestors at that time said they would meet at SPAK, which is an Albanian state anti-corruption investigation unit, to demand that an investigation be launched. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Structure_against_Corruption_and_Organized_Crime

I think not everyone believes they'll actually do impartial investigation & enforcement, but folks are observing the de jure process.

The protestor here has very poised answers to questions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31SGI2fUG7c

#Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy #Resistance #FlamingoRevolution #Albania

RE: https://mas.to/@meganL/116844183686394975

The protestor/spokesperson at the mic was asked what organization they've done since they're calling for Rama's resignation and a transitional government. What do they intend for this transitional government? Are the intellectuals supportive, have the called on the expertise of intellectuals?

She had good answers for their strategic communications needs at this time, I think.

They are also continuing the protest at 7pm as usual (people start gathering at the square around 6pm). It's the 32nd day of protests.

#Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy #Resistance #FlamingoRevolution #Albania

Megan Lynch (she/her) » 🌐 2026-07-01 / 2026-07-01
@meganL@mas.to

Protesters demand that SPAK investigate Rama/Activist submits “Albanian Files” to the Prosecutor's Office

"Protestuesit kërkojnë që SPAK të hetojë Ramën/ Aktivistja dorëzon në Prokurori “Albanian Files”"

Protestors say that peaceful protestors were assaulted by state police yesterday, arrested and separated to 3 different police stations. MPs from the Mundësia Party went to find out where they were and to press for their release. Protestors at that time said they would meet at SPAK, which is an Albanian state anti-corruption investigation unit, to demand that an investigation be launched. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Structure_against_Corruption_and_Organized_Crime

I think not everyone believes they'll actually do impartial investigation & enforcement, but folks are observing the de jure process.

The protestor here has very poised answers to questions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31SGI2fUG7c

#Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy #Resistance #FlamingoRevolution #Albania

This article covers a view of the causes for protest that I have not been exposed to before.

it is a very politically diverse group of protestors. The writers here are Albanian intellectuals.

https://untoldmag.org/albania-solidarity-protests-palestine/
#Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy #Resistance #FlamingoRevolution #Albania #Palestine

Day 32 of anti-corruption protest in Tirana, Albania.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDaLBoWG76w #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy #Resistance #FlamingoRevolution #Albania

Machine translation: Extreme measures in anticipation of the protest, armored cars and water cannons deployed at Parliament

"Masa ekstreme në pritje të protestës, autoblinda dhe autoboti me ujë vendosen te Parlamenti "

It looks like the state is preparing to be violent tonight.

EDIT: The channel took the video down which showed the State Police's water cannon trailer. It had no voice comment. It has replaced it with another video and thus I've substituted that link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRtqEYuwX38

#Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy #Resistance #FlamingoRevolution #Albania

"Ivanka Trump’s hotel project sparks mass protests: "Albania is not for sale" | kulturzeit"

Report in German. This is a good report.

Noteworthy for interviewing a wheelchair-using Albanian. There have been disabled people protesting as well. It's a very diverse protest with diverse issues and politics. The corrupt fast tracking of development of public land by Kushner, et al is really just a match that lit the powderkeg. The fuel has been stacking up for a while. Protestors want the prime minister to resign, all corrupt government members to resign, for there to be a temporary caretaker government while the Albanian People decide how they want democracy to be structured. They want accountability.

#Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy #Resistance #FlamingoRevolution #Albania #Albanien

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izo1WqocKOI

Machine translation: Clash of tensions before Parliament, plenary session begins / Protesters' call: "Parliament of crime"

"Përplasje e tensioneve para Kuvendit, nis seanca plenare/ Protestuesit thirrje: Parlament i krimit"

The cops are out in force, standing behind barricades and massing near their vans.

Protestors were scheduled to protest outside SPAK and Parliament at 10am this morning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nLgmyyJiy8 #Corruption #Balkans #Europe #Democracy #Resistance #FlamingoRevolution #Albania

A quotation from Harry Commager

But if our democracy is to flourish it must have criticism, if our government is to function it must have dissent. Only totalitarian governments insist upon conformity and they — as we know — do so at their peril. Without criticism abuses will go unrebuked; without dissent our dynamic system will become static. The American people have a stake in the maintenance of the most thorough-going inquisition into American institutions. They have a stake in nonconformity, for they know that the American genius is nonconformist.

Henry Steele Commager (1902-1998) American historian, writer, activist
Essay (1947-09), “Who Is Loyal to America?” sec. 3, Harper’s Magazine, Vol. 195, No. 1168

More about this quote: wist.info/commager-henry-steel…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #commager #harrycommager #Americans #criticism #democracy #dissent #feedback #government #nonconformity #selfcorrection #totalitarianism

✊️ It's time to reclaim the word "Palantir" for J.R.R. Tolkien: a humanist breakdown of surveillance architecture https://www.zig.art/p/its-time-to-reclaim-the-word-palantir

#tolkien #palantir #ai #surveillance #democracy

RE: https://infosec.exchange/@Em0nM4stodon/116807174239734199

We can not have democracy without privacy.

That’s it. Full stop.

@Em0nM4stodon knows this, and if you didn’t know this, please, for the love of whatever you hold most dear, start listening to people who do know this.

(Start by following @Em0nM4stodon .)

#Privacy #Data #PersonalData #Democracy

🛡️ #Cybersecurity news & tips across the #fediverse

“Thiel's secret society, 20 years of silence, cracked open because someone left the member directory in a webpage's source code. The panopticon-builders can't run a firewall.

#Politics #Surveillance #Resist #Democracy #P...”

https://bsky.brid.gy/r/https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:m4jmanw3astpwhqp54g6yslu/post/3mosy2m22kb2h

🤖 via RSS feed. Not an endorsement.

Was Hobbes Right in Leviathan? Only partially.

https://brywillis634737.substack.com/p/hobbes-was-right?r=pvxh5

#philosophy #blog #history #reading #substack #monarchy #democracy #history #books #politics #governance #empire #nature #foundation #anarchy #Leviathan #Hobbes #violence

RE: https://infosec.exchange/@metacurity/116764928310205984

You know what they call someone who sits at the same table as a fascist? A fascist.

“…Kaja Kallas - Vice President, European Commission. Fmr. Prime Minister, Estonia…”

CC @EUCommission Hey folks, how was Peter Thiel’s fascist party? Did Kaja enjoy it? Did she learn anything she can bring back to the EU?

#fascism #PeterThiel #KajaKallas #EUCommission #Palantir #humanRights #democracy

You Can’t Have Both Democracy and Billionaires

https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/you-cant-have-both-democracy-and-billionaires

#politics #democracy #classwar #culture #wealth

In a parallel universe somewhere, all of the non-fascist-led Western nations conspired together behind the scenes to use the push for age verification as a way to free their citizens from all US platforms, and migrate them to the fediverse and FOSS en massé in a well conceived & perfectly executed stunning maneuver.

#politics #privacy #democracy

#AI data centers stealing your job, stealing our water, taking our electricity, building more effing carbon burners and stealing our climate, stealing our data, stealing privacy, stealing our democracy.

JFC

NO.

Time to end this nonsense.

Seriously. No. Let's not do this.

Let's STOP this, end this.

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/06/130-billion-in-data-center-projects-blocked-by-protests-so-far-this-year/

#survielence #privacy #democracy #inflation #coup #techBro

A quotation from Adlai Stevenson

If I were to attempt to put my political philosophy tonight into a single phrase, it would be this: Trust the people. Trust their good sense, their decency, their fortitude, their faith. Trust them with the facts. Trust them with the great decisions. And fix as our guiding star the passion to create a society where people can fulfill their own best selves — where no American is held down by race or color, by worldly condition or social status, from gaining what his character earns him as an American citizen, as a human being and as a child of God.

Adlai Stevenson (1900–1965) American diplomat, statesman
Speech (1956-09-13), “Democratic and Republican Administrations,” Pennsylvania Farm Show, Harrisburg

More about this quote: wist.info/stevenson-adlai-ewin…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #adlaistevenson #character #democracy #opportunity #progress #thepeople #wethepeople #equality

But even Christians have their idols (dogmas, creedos, liturgies, customs, rituals) that blind them to the one and only one truth.

"My people perish for lack of knowledge ..."

Instead many Christians believe they have chosen the right narrow path, which is just one lane in the broad road superhighway to hell.

Real democracy for electing rulers is done by lottery, not by party ballot. Every citizen puts a name in the ballot box and then a random name is selected, and the candidate is examined. If the candidate passes muster, then he is the one put in the office. No campaigns, no campaign finance, no speeches, none of that garbage has any place in actual democracy.

The Bible has multiple instances in the law of God for casting lots (lottery) to choose a leader or successor for an office. That is real democracy. The Greeks called ballots for party or public candidate by a Greek word: Oligarchy.

Everyone who calls elections by the name of democracy doesn't know what democracy is. Democracy is not the 'choice of the people' but rather the 'random choice of God' from among the people. This is how the Greeks and Israelites originally practiced democratic elections. The idea of 'running for office' was anciently seen as a form of insurrection or oligarchy, not democracy.

#Democracy #Elections #Oligarchy #Vote #Government