FLASH
Shkruar nga Fatos Çoçoli
This is why today's protest by the Democratic Party should be an exclusively peaceful protest. Not for the sake of image, but for the sake of the very political cause that the country's main opposition aims to represent.
Any escalation of violence, any artificial clash, would harm not only the opposition, but also democratic stability, the country's image and our chances for rapid integration.
Violent protests backfire on the opposition and cause great harm to the country.
An opposition that aims to govern tomorrow must show today that it knows how to manage its anger, as well as the protest and energy of its supporters.
Protest is a constitutional right and a legitimate means for the opposition to express political opposition, the civic dissatisfaction they believe they have accumulated from the current government, and demands for change.
Protest in a democracy is not an end in itself. It must have a clear cause, articulated demands and a political strategy, beyond a day of tension. Protest for the sake of protest, simply to give some fuel to the militants, without an objective and without a way out, risks turning into a tedious ritual and losing the support of disengaged citizens. This, unfortunately, has happened to today's opposition often in recent years.
Our country is at a good moment, having made good steps this year in its integration into the European Union, with the opening of all chapters of the Stabilization and Association Agreement. Any escalation of violence, any artificial clash, would harm not only the opposition, but also democratic stability, the image of the country and our chances for rapid integration.
For these major reasons for the country, today's protest has a twofold necessity to be carried out by the opposition with prudence, responsibility and maximum restraint. If the protest is peaceful, organized and focused on a political message, it can serve as an alarm signal for the government and as a channel for expressing disappointment and hope for change, for the citizens.
If it is accompanied by violence or provocations, it loses all legitimacy and becomes a boomerang for the opposition and to the great detriment of the country. The alternatives of the opposition of the Democratic Party are as important as the protest itself. The opposition must show that the protest is part of a broader strategy: institutional battle, reasoned public communication, concrete proposals and long-term civic mobilization. Without this, the protest remains an emotional episode, not an instrument of change. However, this right gains real value and weight only when it is exercised in a peaceful, responsible and civic manner.
This is why today's protest by the Democratic Party should be an exclusively peaceful protest. Not for the sake of image, but for the sake of the very political cause that the country's main opposition aims to represent.
Violence harms the country and the opposition, not the government.
Violence harms the country and the opposition, not the government. Every act of violence, no matter how isolated it may seem, only serves to delegitimize the opposition's protest. No one wins from violence. It shifts attention from the opposition's political messages to incidents, from civic demands to physical clashes.
In an environment of violence exercised by protesters, the country that has earned billions of euros from tourism this year loses. The opposition itself also loses heavily. Peaceful protest is a test of political maturity and the opposition has a primary duty today to show this.
An opposition that aims to govern tomorrow must show today that it knows how to manage its anger, as well as the protest and energy of its supporters. Discipline, self-restraint and clarity of message are signs of political strength, not weakness. The conduct of the protest is the direct responsibility of today's leaders of the Democratic Party.
Protest leaders and organizers have a moral and political obligation to clearly distance themselves from any form of violence. And not just in words. Public calls and the way they organize should send only one message: peaceful protest, without clashes and without provocations.
Citizens are not political “cannon fodder.” No cause justifies endangering the lives, safety, or dignity of citizens. Protest is to represent them, not to use them as an instrument of tension or chaos. The message must be heard, not lost in the noise.
Only a peaceful protest can be clearly heard by society, especially by those who are not involved in politics, who make up the majority of the population. Violent protest loses its weight in the eyes of institutions and international partners.
Violence drowns out the message, peaceful protest strengthens it. Violence is not a political argument. No political demand is made more just by breaking windows, throwing petrol bombs, throwing rocks, blackening the walls of public institutions, or clashing with the police.
On the contrary, violence shifts attention from the real problem of our society to artificial chaos. It simply strengthens the government, weakens the opposition, and intimidates citizens who would like to peacefully protest alongside opposition militants.
Peaceful protest strengthens the legitimacy of the opposition message. A peaceful, massive and disciplined protest is much more powerful than any aggressive act. It shows political maturity, civic responsibility and respect for the rule of law.
In the eyes of the public, international partners and history, only peaceful protest has full legitimacy. Inciting language, calls for clashes or tolerating violent elements are unacceptable. Organization must prioritize order, security and clarity of the political message. Only in this way will the opposition itself, the citizens and the country win. Tonight the message must be clear: No to violence. Yes to peaceful protest. Yes to democracy.
Lini një Përgjigje