TIRANA, October 28 /ATSH/ – Prime Minister Edi Rama responded today to the recent protests in Tirana, criticizing the violence, the threatening language and the protesters’ claim to speak on behalf of the entire population.
In a message addressed to Albanian citizens, Rama described the group of protesters as a collection of individuals, social groups and political parties that have no connection to one another.
“A hodgepodge of categories—individuals, social groups, and political parties—all gathered together, despite having no connection to each other. As has been the case before, foreign interests, illicit funds and organized crime are all mixed in,’” said Rama.
“On behalf of the people, we can no longer tolerate this system. We no longer want this government; we no longer accept this prime minister.’ This is a major—a very major—misunderstanding. Fortunately, no one is ‘the people’ except for the people themselves.” “And this hodgepodge has misunderstood everything, holding a segment of the public hostage—in the name of the entire population—through corrupt rhetoric and television screens that glorify violence and vulgarity,” Rama emphasized.
The prime minister pointed out that some of the protesters are attempting to capture public attention and present their own demands as the collective will of the citizens.
“They have no standing to speak on behalf of the people, nor do they possess any authorization to do so. The people speak for themselves—through their vote. No crowd—not even I, nor anyone else—can claim this; only the people themselves, the sovereign, grant the mandate to speak and make decisions in their name.” “This is the fundamental agreement of democracy—just as it is the right of every individual, within a democracy, to speak on their own behalf or on behalf of the group, organization, association, union, or community to which they belong; to demand what they believe is rightfully theirs; and to take to the streets, protest, or go on strike for what they believe they are entitled to,” said Rama.
The prime minister emphasized that the freedom to impose one’s views on others ends precisely where the right of those others to hold their own convictions begins. /p.s./
