TIRANA, June 13 /ATA/ – Prime Minister Edi Rama on Saturday criticized what he described as growing verbal abuse and intimidation linked to ongoing protests against a planned tourism development in the Zvërnec area of southern Albania.
In a social media post, Rama condemned online attacks targeting singer Ylli Limani following a recent concert, calling them “the most repulsive expression” of a broader trend of hostility and degradation in public discourse.
Rama said no citizen should face pressure, threats or moral coercion for choosing not to support a protest movement, warning that attempts to shame or intimidate dissenting voices undermine democratic values.
He argued that some protest supporters had adopted increasingly aggressive rhetoric toward those who do not join demonstrations, including calls for public disruption and online harassment.
Drawing parallels with historical examples of political extremism, Rama said democratic societies are weakened when debate is replaced by insults, intimidation and claims of exclusive patriotism.
“Protest is a democratic right and must always be respected,” Rama said. “But when people are told they are less patriotic or less Albanian because they do not protest, democracy is threatened not from above, but from below.”
He added that Albania’s future depends on dialogue and democratic engagement, warning that polarization and hostility risk damaging the country’s economy, investment climate and social cohesion.
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