Residents of the village of Rrjoll in northern Albania have continued protests for the 37th consecutive day at a construction site where the company Gener 2 is building the “Blu Borgo” tourist resort.

The company is owned by Albanian businessman Bashkim Ulaj, who received special investor status for the project at the end of 2024. The planned development, located near Velipoja Beach in the municipality of Shkoder, will cover around 147 hectares and include luxury villas and hotels.

Civil society activists joined residents at the site on Saturday, voicing support for the protest and calling on locals not to give up their cause. Demonstrators have formed a daily presence near the construction area, demanding that work on the resort be halted.

A heavy police presence has been deployed around the site, creating a security perimeter to prevent protesters from entering the construction zone. Residents and activists accuse police of facilitating the works on land they claim belongs to them.

Protesters say they hold court-recognized ownership documents for roughly 400 dynym of land, based on a ruling issued in 2006. They argue the project amounts to an unlawful seizure of their property.

In recent weeks, residents have also staged demonstrations outside the Parliament of Albania and the Special Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Prosecution Office (SPAK), urging authorities to investigate the project and halt construction.

The resort received “five-star accommodation structure – special status investor” designation on December 31, 2024, awarded to Bashkim Ulaj and his brothers Astrit Ulaj and Ahmet Ulaj for the planned “Blue Borgo” development along the Velipoja coastline.