Albania accused of fast-tracking Trump-linked resort in protected Vjosa-Narta landscape

European lawmakers have accused Albania's government of using "sneaky" tactics to fast-track a Trump-linked luxury resort in a formerly protected landscape, as protests over the project have turned violent. Dutch MEP Tineke Strik said Prime Minister Edi Rama is trying to circumvent EU environmental rules. Students in Tirana have fought pitched battles with riot police for six consecutive days, with ministerial buildings, banks, and businesses set ablaze, as demonstrators demand Rama's resignation. The project, championed by Jared Kushner, plans up to 10,000 villas in the ecologically sensitive Vjosa-Narta area, which was protected until a contentious law allowed construction. The European Parliament in June called for the law's repeal, citing threats to environmental standards. Rama insists the €4bn development will boost Albania's economy, while critics argue the fast-tracked impact assessment cannot justify construction in the Mediterranean's last intact delta system.