Speaking at the Ruhr Summit innovation forum in Germany, Rama referred to the protest movement taking place in Albania in recent weeks, saying he viewed it as an important message for his government.

“I am listening and trying to understand this message-not by counting people in the streets or measuring hashtags, but by understanding the concerns, anxieties and hopes that brought people there,” Rama said, adding that “a government that stops listening also stops governing.”

He said Albania had moved from an era when protests were banned to one in which citizens could freely express dissent, but argued that digital platforms now shape how demonstrations are perceived.

According to Rama, algorithms amplify emotional content and can create an online narrative that no longer reflects the reality of a protest.

“The digital reality became more influential than the physical one,” he said, arguing that algorithm-driven distortion of public discourse is a challenge facing democracies well beyond Albania.

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During the extended meeting of the socialist parliamentary group, Rama underlined the need for the SP, first of all, with the responsibility of those who have the mandate to lead Albania, to read this story as accurately as possible in order to be better prepared for what comes next, because this is just the beginning.

Rama also spoke about the international reactions against this investment, while adding that millions of people who do not even know where Zvërnec is located, knew exactly what to think about Zvërnec.

“Their outrage was never rooted in a genuine analysis of Albania or the project’s documentation. Rather, they transformed the vulnerability of a bird into a convenient symbol for anti-capitalist and anti-Trump resistance. It became an outlet for blind anger—the perfect channel to direct their hostility toward me and the SP”, Rama added.

Rama emphasized that, “This is the first lesson of this history.”

The defining characteristic of our modern era is that local conflicts rapidly escalate into global crises. Global networks now transmit political, religious, and social prejudices, as well as falsehoods, far more efficiently than facts or context. Ultimately, algorithmic speed prioritizes emotion over evidence, rendering perception more powerful than objective truth.

“This is a cautionary tale. Not for this government, but for democracy in the era of algorithms. As leaders of Albania, we must learn from this history to prepare for the future—because this is just the beginning,” the prime minister emphasized. /a.g/p.s./

Balla said discussions during the group’s meeting in Tirana included debates among lawmakers on draft laws and proposed amendments.

“Debate is part of the Socialist Party’s democracy,” Taulant Balla told reporters after the group’s meeting.

He added that the party conducts a performance review of each lawmaker at the end of every parliamentary session, describing it as a routine process applied to all members without exception.

Asked whether remarks perceived publicly as criticism by Elisa Spiropali had been raised within the group, Balla said they had not.

He also highlighted what he described as a “re-energising” process within the Socialist Party, aimed at strengthening communication with citizens and increasing new memberships, particularly among young people, in line with the country’s European Union integration goals.

Balla said the process was progressing as expected and was also linked to preparations for the 2027 local elections, in which the party aims to compete in all municipalities. He added that it would help identify potential candidates.

On administrative-territorial reform, Balla said the focus should be on improving services rather than the number of municipalities, adding that public consultations would be held nationwide to gather citizens’ views and refine the existing framework.

Regarding legislative initiatives, he said a draft law on penal amnesty required further time for review given its sensitivity, while amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code were proceeding through standard parliamentary procedures.

Asked about a request for a resolution submitted by a relative of one of the victims of the January 21 protests, Balla said it would be assessed based on institutional analysis, without giving further details.

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Foreign Minister addressed Friday the International Scientific Conference “The Boundaries of Human Rights: Dialogue Between Obligations and Freedom,” organized by the Mediterranean University of Albania and the University of Applied Sciences WSGE.

“Democracy is not a final state but an ongoing process. It requires maintaining a delicate balance between freedom and responsibility, between individual rights and state obligations, between national sovereignty and international commitments,” Hasani said.

He emphasized Albania’s commitment to preserving this balance by strengthening responsible citizenship alongside the consolidation of institutions that safeguard the public interest.

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The EU Delegation to Albania said Thursday that this week EU representatives visited the town of Pogradec, a popular tourist destination in south-eastern Albania, to attend the symposium “From Past to Memory: The Borders of Dictatorship 1944-1991.”

This event serves as a powerful reminder of the tragic consequences of Albania’s border policies during the communist era, emphasising the need to preserve the memory of those who suffered.

In her remarks at the event, the EU representative Frédérique Hanotier said that learning from the past empowers citizens to build a more resilient and democratic society.

“Learning from the past empowers citizens to build a more resilient and democratic society. This is a complex issue, and the EU continues to strongly support Albania in dealing with its past and increasing social cohesion in the context of the country’s EU membership,” Hanotier said.

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“The current moment calls for steadfast support for democracy and its defenders,” Kosovo government head said in his remarks at the annual round-table discussion entitled “Deepening Solidarity: How can Europe emerge stronger from the current geopolitical turmoil” organized by the Economist.

“We must come together as the force opposing the destabilizing elements that pose a serious threat to democracy,” Kurti said.

PM Kurti added that “democracy is a concrete reality for us, but so are the threats posed by autocracies, primarily by Serbia, aided significantly by its alliance with Putin.”

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