Albania demonstrators vow to continue protests until Rama resigns

Citizens and civil society activists in Albania continued their protest campaign against the planned investment in Zvërnec.

The 32nd consecutive protest began at 7:00 p.m. in Tirana, with demonstrators reiterating their main demands: the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama and the departure of the country’s current political class, CE Report quotes ATA.

As in previous protests, participants first gathered in Skanderbeg Square before marching to the Prime Minister’s Office, where the rally took place.

Holding banners and chanting slogans calling for their demands to be met, protesters continued the demonstration outside the Prime Minister’s Office.

Protesters held banners reading, among other messages: “Day 32: Citizens are still here”; “The prime minister posts, the people protest, accountability is missing”; “Day 32: The message is clear. Only Rama is still ‘trying’ to understand”; and “You can’t buy our silence with a 5,000-lek bonus for pensioners.”

Former senior State Police official Mit’hat Havari described the police use of force during Wednesday’s protest outside parliament as unjustified, adding that police officers themselves have been among the most mistreated groups during Albania’s transition years.

“In 36 years, 300 police officers—sons of mothers—have been killed for these bastards. Students at the Police Academy have twice been poisoned because of corruption-linked procurement tenders,” he said.

Addressing protesters outside the Prime Minister’s Office, a businessman said the demonstrations had “shaken the government to its foundations” and accused Prime Minister Edi Rama of seeking to intimidate participants.

He described Rama as the protesters’ “common adversary,” alongside parliament, and said the country’s educated young people should take the lead, while calling on the current political class, including the Democratic Party, to step aside.

One of the protesters said participants remained steadfast in their five main demands, the foremost of which, he said, is the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama and his government.

He said the protesters’ first and non-negotiable demand is Rama’s immediate resignation, accusing him of corruption and noting that several members of his government are either imprisoned or under investigation. The protester also called on the Special Prosecution Office (SPAK) to expedite procedures to lift the parliamentary immunity of Belinda Balluku, arguing that doing so would allow the justice system to proceed with its work.

The organizers have repeatedly called on citizens from across the country, as well as Albanians living abroad, to join the demonstrations.

The protesters have put forward five main demands: The resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama; the repeal of the legal framework governing strategic investors; the repeal of the Mountains Package; the reversal of amendments to the laws on protected areas and cultural heritage; and a constitutional limit restricting any individual to no more than two full or partial terms as prime minister over the course of their political career.

According to the organizers, the protests will continue in the coming days until their demands are met.

Following the speeches, demonstrators marched along the main boulevard and through central streets of Tirana.

Photo Wikipedia