Speaking at a news conference in Tirana, Rama said the protests had gained momentum after a security guard assaulted a demonstrator during a protest at the project site.

“I have taken part in protests myself and know what it means when it is difficult to protest,” Rama said. “I also know what it means when protests take place in an environment that is not free.”

Referring to anti-government demonstrations in 2011, Rama noted that four protesters were killed during clashes in front of the Prime Minister’s office.

He said the ability to protest freely is an important democratic achievement for Albania.

“It may seem like a small thing, but it is not,” Rama said. “It is another achievement of this decade and one that Albanians have struggled for over many years, both during communism and after it.”

Rama said authorities responded swiftly to the incident in Zvërnec.

Rama said footage of the assault had gone viral, fuelling broader public debate over the development project, property rights and the planned investment itself.

“The act of violence triggered strong reactions and opened the door to wider questions about the development, the property and the project,” Rama said. “The discussion then expanded far beyond the original incident.”

He added that many of the claims and concerns raised in the public debate were legitimate expressions of opinion, but said they did not necessarily reflect the facts surrounding the project.

/r.e/u.sh/