TIRANA, July 2 /ATA/ Prime Minister Edi Rama declared today that every form of protest is welcome, especially in a country where the opposition has definitively abandoned its role.
In a conversation with pensioners, Rama assured that people’s right to protest is inviolable.
“Every form of protest, and especially the creative ones, are welcome because they make those in leadership reflect and challenge themselves. And in a country where the opposition has definitively abandoned its duty, such forms are welcome as they put the government into reflection and under pressure that comes from the grassroots,” Rama stated.
Rama argued that some protesters are financed by hostile or ill‑intentioned actors, warning that people should be aware of who stands behind such demonstrations. He added that certain figures present themselves as independent or flamboyant, but in reality have criminal pasts or dubious backgrounds, and citizens need to recognize this.
Rama assured that the government will address the issue come out of these protests in a structured and serious way, stressing the need for reflection. He noted that even people with high incomes, such as bank employees who earn more than ministers, are joining demonstrations, highlighting the broader expectations of society today.
Rama stressed that Albania should be proud of both the way protests are conducted and the freedom of expression enjoyed by citizens. He argued that protests demonstrate the country’s democratic character, contrasting peaceful demonstrators — whom he likened to flamingos — with violent actors, whom he described as crows and jackdaws, insisting that peaceful protest is protected while physical pressure on lawmakers crosses into unacceptable territory.
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