TIRANA, October 7 /ATA/ Chairman of the Socialist Party Parliamentary group Taulant Balla attended a ceremony organized by the Embassy of Israel in Tirana to mark the anniversary of the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack in Israel.
In his remarks, Balla stated that honoring the victims and standing in solidarity with their families remains an obligation, emphasizing that October 7 must not be forgotten.
“Today, on October 7, we commemorated the victims of the terrorist attack of October 7, 2023, in Israel. Remembering is an obligation we owe to the victims and their families. To remember means not to forget,” Balla said.
He condemned terrorism, antisemitism and all forms of hatred, highlighting the history of Albanians protecting Jews during the Holocaust.
Balla also drew attention to the Albanian tradition of religious coexistence, linking it to the concept of “Besa”—a word of honor—which, according to him, motivated Albanians to open their doors to shelter the persecuted Jewish families. “We do not view different faiths as walls that divide us. We see them as different paths that can coexist under the same roof, within the same family and as part of the same nation,” he said.
Furthermore, Balla emphasized that the memory of October 7th should serve as a responsibility for the future—to reject hatred and uphold human dignity.
“Let us never become indifferent to hatred. And may the memory of October 7th strengthen our resolve to build a future where peace is stronger than fear and humanity is stronger than hatred,” Balla stated. /p.s./
