For a country accustomed to political paradoxes, the latest chapter in the Zvërnec controversy offers another remarkable example.
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| Prime Minister Edi Rama, seen here in Screenshot during a public communication, has stated that there is currently no final project to be canceled in Vlora, while promising a historic investment of 4 billion euros from international studios such as Kengo Kuma and Bjarke Ingels. |
At first glance, that might sound reassuring. After all, if no final project exists, perhaps public concern is premature. Yet the same statement insists that the future development represents a historic investment worth €4 billion and will become one of the largest tourism ventures in the Mediterranean.
This raises an obvious question. If the project is not ready, how can its benefits already be presented with such certainty? And if the project is important enough to reshape the future of Albanian tourism, why has public discussion largely arrived only after tensions have escalated into protests, arrests and national controversy?
Të anulloj projektin? Për këtë i thirrët në protestë njerëzit e mirë që ju erdhën pas edhe sot?
— Edi Rama (@ediramaal) June 1, 2026
Dakord jam, ma sillni projektin dhe e anullojmë! Po si i bëhet që ju s’keni çfarë sillni sepse nuk ka projekt?
E dini pse nuk ka projekt?
Sepse projekti po punohet nga pesë…
According to Rama, five internationally renowned architectural studios are currently working on proposals, including Kengo Kuma, Bjarke Ingels, Jean Nouvel, Emre Arolat and K-Studio. Once the project is completed, he says, it will be presented publicly.
The statement may have unintentionally highlighted the central issue raised by many citizens: transparency. People are being asked to trust a process whose final details have not yet been revealed, while simultaneously being told that opposition to it could cost Albania a transformative investment opportunity.
The prime minister also rejected claims that Israeli interests are seeking to transform Zvërnec into a settlement project, calling such allegations absurd and manipulative. He argued that the investment is backed by American partners and investors connected to Qatar's Power Holding, portraying the initiative as an opportunity for economic growth rather than a threat to national interests.
Yet beyond the conspiracy theories and political accusations lies a simpler debate. Zvërnec is not just another empty stretch of coastline. It is one of Albania's most environmentally sensitive and culturally significant areas. Understandably, many citizens want clear answers before construction begins rather than after decisions have effectively been made.
Perhaps the most ironic element of the latest exchange is not the project itself but the timing of the questions being asked. Rama has led Albania for more than twelve years. During that period, major tourism, infrastructure and development policies have largely been directed by his government. Today, however, he presents himself almost as an observer challenging critics with questions about transparency, development and Albania's future.
Many Albanians may reasonably wonder whether these are questions that should have been asked years ago by the very institutions now defending the project.
Supporters see a once-in-a-generation opportunity capable of elevating Albania into the top tier of Mediterranean tourism destinations. Opponents fear that economic promises are being used to justify irreversible changes in a protected natural area.
The truth is that neither side has yet seen the final project.
For now, Albania finds itself debating a development that officially does not exist, defending an investment whose details remain largely unseen, and arguing over consequences that cannot yet be fully measured.
One thing, however, is certain: the debate over Zvërnec is no longer just about tourism or investment. It has become a test of transparency, public trust and how major decisions are made in a country where citizens increasingly expect to be consulted before history is written, not after.