06/15/2026
As a candidate for Congress and as an Albanian-American, I want to be very clear about where I stand on the protests in Albania.
Albanians are among the most pro-American people on Earth. Poll after poll has shown that Albanians love America more than almost any other nation in the world. We are grateful for America's role in our history, and we welcome Americans, investors, and visitors with open arms. Hospitality, protection of guests, and respect for others are part of our code of honor.
This debate is not about the Trump family. It is not about America. It is not even about tourism.
It is about transparency, accountability, and whether the Albanian people will benefit from the sale of assets that belong to them.
If Sazan, the only island Albania has, is turned into a playground for billionaires and becomes inaccessible to the very people who own it, then what exactly is the benefit to the Albanian people? Will Albanians be free to visit its beaches and shoreline, or will they be locked out of their own national treasure? This simple question still has not been clearly answered.
The concern is also environmental. Those flamingos and other wildlife are not a nuisance. They are part of an ecosystem that has existed for thousands of years. We are merely temporary stewards of this land. Once natural habitats are destroyed, they are rarely restored. Economic development and environmental protection must go hand in hand.
There is also the issue of history. Albania's coastline, islands, and archaeological sites hold pieces of our story that have yet to be fully explored and understood. Once ancient history is buried under concrete, it is gone forever. Future generations deserve the opportunity to learn from and preserve what our ancestors left behind.
Let me also be clear on another point: threats, intimidation, and harassment have no place in this discussion. They should be condemned regardless of who engages in them. We must debate ideas, not attack people.
But questioning those in power is not extremism. It is citizenship. Whether the government is on the left or the right, corruption is corruption. Too often, politicians ask for the public's trust and then use that trust for private gain.
The Albanian people deserve answers. They deserve transparency. They deserve access to their own land. And they deserve a government that remembers that Albania's natural beauty, history, and national treasures are not commodities to be sold off, but a sacred inheritance to be protected for future generations.
John Goci
Candidate for U.S. Congress
