Berisha-youth-movement – Albanian Telegraphic Agency.

Berisha calls for mass support for youth-led movement

Sonila Mehmeti — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 17:40:19 +0000

TIRANA, July 1 /ATA/ Leader of the Democratic Party Sali Berisha voiced support for a youth-led movement, which he said “will not stop until it brings down this government.”

Speaking at a meeting of the party’s National Council, Berisha said the party’s historic mission is to restore free voting in Albania and ensure the rotation of power.

“Our National Council is convening at one of the most remarkable and distinctive moments in the entire history of political pluralism. A strong movement, described as a genuine awakening of the new Generation Z, has emerged in Albania as a liberation movement. The Democratic Party, which has waged an epic and unprecedented struggle in the country’s history to defend internal sovereignty and genuine opposition, has fully welcomed and strongly supported this movement of exceptional significance,” said Berisha.

According to Berisha, the new generation has recorded some of the most important victories of the past two decades.

He said this generation “saved the country from chemical weapons remnants, which Edi Rama had allegedly agreed to during his first visit to the UN. Albanians remain deeply grateful to them. The truth is that this was mainly a battle led by high school students. Those students, and later university students, driven by sensitivity, purity, and ideals, when they saw the country facing an unexpected risk, took to the streets and forced him to cancel the decision,” Berisha added.

Berisha said it would be a betrayal of the ideals of freedom not to support the youth-led movement.

“The Democratic Party has supported and continues to strongly support this movement and will intensify its efforts for its success. No one should be misled by any slogan of theirs that is not truly theirs. No one should be misled by their calls. Imagine a storm of tens of thousands of people, where even a thousand are our adversaries, and who are demanding what we are demanding: the overthrow of the government,” he said.

Berisha said that the protest also includes individuals who have lost property and therefore have full justification to demonstrate.

He added that others have faced different forms of injustice and are equally entitled to protest, but argued that the core of the movement is Generation Z, which he described as embodying the highest ideals. According to him, they are protesting against what he called a major wrongdoing affecting Albania and its citizens, and he described the generation as “a blessing for Albanians.”

Berisha called on all Albanians not to miss what he described as a historic opportunity to support a generation that, he said, is fighting not for present-day Albania but for the country’s future.

He said it would be a betrayal of the ideals of freedom not to support the movement, praising “hundreds and thousands of Democrats” who left Tirana and other regions to join the protest as citizens. Berisha also said support is essential and added that, given the movement is led by young people and belongs to the digital generation, all social media platforms should be used in its favour.

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