TIRANA, July 8 /ATA/ The citizens’ protest in the capital continued for the 39th consecutive day, initially launched against the investment project in Zvërnec, with organisers later putting forward additional demands.
The protesters gathered at Skënderbej Square before marching towards “Dëshmorët e Kombit” Boulevard.
During the march, protesters called for a break with the country’s long-standing political establishment.
Holding banners, protesters called for changes to the electoral law and the repeal of recent amendments to the law on protected areas.
Organisers and participants called for the protest to continue on a sustained basis, while in recent days the demonstrations have also taken the form of marches along several of Tirana’s main thoroughfares.
At Wednesday’s protest, speakers focused not only on their demand for Prime Minister Edi Rama to step down, but also on the planned concert by Kanye West.
One protester urged people to “be cautious” about the festival, calling it “a trap” and criticising the use of 4 million euros from the emergency fund for the event while claiming hospitals lacked basic medicines such as paracetamol.
“We don’t feel like dancing — we feel like protesting,” the protester said.
Another protester criticised the allocation of 4 million euros for a single performer, saying Albanian artists were being overlooked.
Activist Edison Lika also urged the public to boycott the planned concert by Kanye West in Tirana.
Lika criticised the government for allocating 4 million euros for a planned concert by Kanye West, arguing the funds should instead be used to address more pressing public needs. He also accused the government of applying double standards in its criticism of antisemitism.
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