Thousands of Albanians are driving a “flamingo revolution” in protest at Ivanka Trump’s plans for a luxury resort on one of the nation’s islands.

Trump and husband Jared Kushner are behind grand plans for a luxury eco-resort on the uninhabited island of Sazan, on Albania’s Adriatic coast.

Last week, Trump – the eldest daughter of US President Donald Trump – described 5.7-kilometre-square Sazan almost as a patch of land that she and her husband Jared Kushner were the first to discover.

“We were on a friend’s boat, and we stopped for a swim. Effectively, that’s how we found it,” she told American podcaster David Senra.

“We swam to the island. We went on a hike, barefoot all the way up to the top, and we were just captivated.”

That ultimately led to a $2.3 billion project backed by Kushner’s investment firm, Affinity Partners. It intends to transform Sazan Island’s Vjosa‑Narta delta into a high-end resort with hotels, villas, apartments, a marina and other luxury facilities.

The plan was unveiled more than two years ago. But the trouble really began when bulldozers arrived on the beaches recently – opening access routes, digging into the sand, clearing land among pine trees and installing fencing.

Protesters rallied in their thousands, as environmental groups and local campaigners argued the project threatens sensitive ecosystems and lacks sufficient transparency.

Flamingo props have become a symbol of the protests. Photo: AAP

In the streets of Tirana, Albania’s capital, many wielded inflatable flamingos – a nod to Sazan as the country’s only breeding ground for the birds. Others carried flamingo placards and wore costumes to draw attention to concerns about the environmental impact of large-scale tourism projects along Albania’s coast.

“Albania is not for sale,” the marchers chanted, as police responded with water cannons.

Last Thursday (local time), protesters also gathered outside Prime Minister Edi Rama’s residence chanting “revolution” and calling for his resignation.

Rama says the project will help boost Albania’s appeal as a tourist destination and create jobs. He has recently referred to a €4 billion ($A6.5 billion) plan that he said included the Vlora area.

“Albania should not be a country that fears an extraordinary project like this one, where exceptional partners have come together to invest €4 billion,” he has said.

“There is no chance for this investment to stop as long as I am here.”

On social media last week, Rama said the development reflected an ambition to create the “most attractive destination of this side of the Mediterranean”.

But Joni Vorpsi, an environmentalist and manager at Protection and Preservation of Natural Environment in Albania, said the Vjosa‑Narta area was a “magical hub” that was home to everything from from dolphins and sea turtles to monk seals.

“It’s one of the most amazing habitats that we have when it comes to protected areas and coastal wetlands,” Vorpsi said.

“When you are there, it’s exactly like a fairy tale.

“From the renderings we have seen, everything seems terrible. The construction will wipe out that part of nature there and will be a gate opener for the whole coastline to be developed inside the protected area.”

Sazan Island also has a long history of military use, and still has bunkers and bases. Photo: AAP

Nor is Sazan exactly as empty as Trump and Kushner might have thought. It is also a designated military exclusion zone and was closed to the public for much of the 20th century.

Its strategic location off Albania’s south-western coast at the point where the Adriatic Sea meets the Ionian Sea made it an important outpost during both the Italian occupation and Albania’s communist era.

A PR agency for Affinity Partners last week said the development was being led by Sazan Real Estate Development, not Kushner’s firm, and that any investors involved were there “in their personal capacity”.

“We’re excited about the opportunity to create a world-class destination and make one of the largest private investments in the region’s history,” a statement from Sazan Real Estate Development chairman Asher Abehsera read.

“Our focus remains on responsible stewardship, environmental enhancement, job creation, and creating long-term value for local communities. We respect the ongoing public and institutional processes, and we stand ready to move forward as they unfold.”