TIRANA, June 9 /ATA/ – Prime Minister Edi Rama said on Tuesday that some protesters against the planned Zvernec investment in southern Albania avoid dialogue because they do not want to confront facts that, in his view, contradict their motivations.
Speaking to European Union journalists in Tirana, Rama cited student protests in 2018 as an example, saying they were far larger than recent demonstrations.
“They came with demands for better conditions and for three weeks they did not want to talk,” he said. “I told them we need to talk, you must listen too.”
He said the reluctance to engage in dialogue was linked not only to stated grievances, but also to a sense of participating in a larger cause.
“It is the feeling of being part of something bigger that makes you avoid confronting reality,” he said.
Rama added that he was referring to individuals rather than any organisation, saying some participants faced pressure and intimidation.
“There is no single organisation. People are under pressure and fear,” he said. “They are told not to speak.”
He said years of experience with protests had made him more patient.
“I have learned patience,” he said.
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