FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
During today's protest in Tirana, Dritan Goxhaj conveyed a congratulatory message to the United States on the occasion of the Independence anniversary.
He described the US as a strategic ally of Albania and an important friend of the Albanian people, while also recalling the principles on which the American Declaration of Independence was built.
"Today, on US Independence Day, we congratulate the American people on the 250th anniversary of independence. The USA, a strategic ally of Albania and a valued friend of the Albanian people. We recall a more influential document, the Declaration of Independence, which was the proclamation of a principle that inspires peoples around the world that all people are equal and enjoy inalienable rights," said Goxhaj.
Continuing his speech, the activist emphasized the importance of protecting citizens' rights in democratic societies.
"When people's rights are not protected, democratic societies have the right to seek change through peaceful means," he said.
While passing by the Ministry of Interior, a group of protesters posted a slogan on the wall of the institution with the inscription "Down with the communists!", describing it as a political message within the framework of the protest.
The action was accompanied by cheers from some of the participants, while the march continued along "Dëshmorët e Kombit" Boulevard towards the Prime Minister's Office, where the main gathering is concentrated.
This Saturday's protest has been described by organizers as a nationwide protest and has gathered citizens from various cities in the country, as well as Albanians from the diaspora. Participants hold banners with political messages and demand, according to their statements, political change and the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.
The wife of Altin Hila, the protester arrested during the July 2 protest in front of the Parliament, has demanded the release of her husband, stating that he was unjustly arrested while protesting due to the difficult family situation and their sick child.
She said that her husband's arrest has left her alone with her two children, one of whom is paralyzed.
"I came out for my husband because he was unjustly imprisoned. He came here with the intention of his child and has been protesting since the first day. I demand his release as soon as possible. Hopefully the court will release him tomorrow. I can't manage with my two young children alone. One of my children is paralyzed. I was at work when Altin came to protest, but now I have left work for the children," she said.
Hila's wife also expressed gratitude for the support the family has received from Albanians at home and abroad through the GoFundMe campaign, which was opened for their son's treatment and where over 150 thousand euros were raised.
"I thank all Albanians. They have done wonders for my child. I have been managing on my own for 11 years, with loans and everything, but Albanians have also been there for me as a mother. I thank them all immensely. May God reward and bless them, " she declared.
Altin Hila was arrested during the protest in front of the Parliament, and legal proceedings have been initiated against him by the authorities. The case is expected to be reviewed by the court, which will decide on the security measure.
Neither arrests nor violence stopped them! National protest fills the boulevard again
"Dëshmorët e Kombit" Boulevard was "red" this Saturday by thousands of citizens who joined the national protest, making it one of the most massive since the start of the civic movement 35 days ago.
Citizens from Tirana, the districts and the diaspora have filled the square in front of the Prime Minister's Office, giving the protest another dimension. What started as a reaction to the project in Zvërnec has now transformed into a broad movement against the political caste, with protesters demanding a change of the system and the removal of the old political class.
The atmosphere on the boulevard is dominated by red and black flags, while many protesters are also waving flags of the United States of America. Their presence is not accidental. Today marks the 250th anniversary of US Independence, so many participants have chosen to symbolically connect the protest with the ideals of freedom and democracy.
Among the crowd, chants of "The end has come", "Revolution", "Rama in prison, Berisha in prison", "Resignation", "New Albania", "The end has come", but also "Free the boys", are constantly heard in support of the protesters who continue to be held in cells after clashes with the police during Thursday's protest in front of the Parliament.
The participation of the diaspora is one of the elements that stood out in today's protest. Albanians from different countries joined citizens in Tirana, responding to the organizers' call for a national protest.
Unlike the first days, when the protest was focused on protecting Zvërnec and opposing construction in protected areas, today the protesters' message has broadened. From the podium and on banners, they present the movement as a revolt against the way the country has been governed over the years, demanding a "new Albania" and the end of what they describe as political casteism.
Pamje magjepsëse para Kryeministrisë, shqiptarët mbushin sheshin bulevardi “Dëshmorët e Kombit’. Kërkojnë pa asnjë kompromis dorëheqjen e Edi Ramës dhe largimin e kastës politike
Bulevardi “Dëshmorët e Kombit’ është ndezur flakë me flamuj dhe pankarta, në ditën e 35-të para Kryeministrisë. Ndryshe nga tubimet e përjavshme, protesta e sotme është mbarëkombëtare, me pjesëmarrjen e qytetarëve nga i gjithë vendi, por edhe të shqiptarëve të ardhur nga diaspora.
Autokolana me mijëra makina kanë mbërritur në Tiranë pasditen e sotme, ku pritet t’i bashkohen protestës. Pjesëmarrja pritet të jetë masive, ashtu siç edhe është paralajmëruar.
Që në orët e para të pasdites, grupe protestuesish nga qytete të ndryshme të Shqipërisë nisën të mbërrijnë në Tiranë, ndërsa një fluks i madh automjetesh u regjistrua në hyrjet e kryeqytetit. Autokolona të gjata u krijuan në akset hyrëse të Tiranës, ku mijëra qytetarë që udhëtuan nga vende të ndryshme të Europës iu drejtuan sheshit të protestës.
Sipas organizatorëve, shqiptarë nga Zvicra, Italia, Greqia, Gjermania, Britania e Madhe, Belgjika, Franca, Austria dhe vende të tjera europiane kanë udhëtuar për t'iu bashkuar protestës, duke e cilësuar praninë e diasporës si një mesazh se pakënaqësia ndaj situatës në vend shkon përtej kufijve të Shqipërisë.
Atmosfera në Bulevardin "Dëshmorët e Kombit" është karakterizuar nga valëvitja e flamujve kuqezi, pankarta me mesazhe politike dhe brohoritje të vazhdueshme kundër qeverisë. Gjatë marshimit drejt Kryeministrisë janë dëgjuar edhe thirrje si "Rama në burg, Berisha në burg", ndërsa protestuesit kanë deklaruar se synimi i tyre është ndryshimi i klasës politike.
Qytetarët e pranishëm shprehen se kanë dalë në shesh për të kërkuar pa asnjë kompromis dorëheqjen e kryeministrit Edi Rama, duke theksuar se protesta do të vijojë deri në realizimin e kësaj kërkese. Sipas tyre, tubimi i sotëm synon të jetë një demonstrim force qytetare dhe një mesazh se protestat nuk do të ndalen.
Përfaqësues të diasporës theksuan se pjesëmarrja e tyre në protestën mbarëkombëtare nuk është e drejtuar vetëm kundër qeverisë, por përfaqëson, sipas tyre, një reagim ndaj të gjithë klasës politike. Ata u shprehën se kjo është "një luftë kundër gjithë kastës politike", duke argumentuar se përgjegjësia për situatën në vend nuk i takon vetëm një force politike.
Krahas flamujve kombëtarë shqiptarë, në tubim janë parë edhe flamuj të Shteteve të Bashkuara të Amerikës,
Organizatorët kanë deklaruar se kjo është një nga protestat më të mëdha të zhvilluara deri më tani, duke nënvizuar se mobilizimi është mbështetur jo vetëm nga qytetarët brenda vendit, por edhe nga komunitetet shqiptare që jetojnë jashtë Shqipërisë.
Në perimetrin e Kryeministrisë dhe institucioneve të tjera qendrore janë vendosur forca të shumta të Policisë së Shtetit, të cilat po monitorojnë zhvillimin e protestës dhe po zbatojnë planin e masave për garantimin e rendit dhe sigurisë./ Pamfleti
The 35th anti-government protest is taking place this Saturday in Tirana, with dozens of Albanians from the diaspora joining the rally, giving the protest a nationwide character. Among the protesters were also immigrants who publicly shared their dissatisfaction with the government.
An immigrant, who said he had come from the diaspora, originally from Vlora, stated that he had once voted for Prime Minister Edi Rama, but today he regretted that choice.
"I come from the diaspora and I come from Vlora. I want to tell Rama and Balla, who label us as ravens and crows, that we are not like that. We are Albanians. We demand justice, we demand our lives denied by these criminals. I once voted for you, but I regret it. May the hand that voted for you, the criminal, wither, today I revoke my vote and demand your resignation. If you do not do this, we will remove you by force. The people will drag you away. Vlora is rising, it will destroy you in 24 hours. And Vlora will rise, the river will flood", he said.
Another immigrant, who said he has lived in Italy for 33 years, said that Albania has changed radically over the years and called for a change in the way the government responds.
"Before '90 my country was a miracle, today it is occupied and destroyed. We support the youth to win the lost freedom, our country is occupied. We are tired of cheering in vain, we must change our strategy. Edi Rama is determined as a traitor who does not resign, while we are determined as patriots and the people, the patriots, must triumph ," said the immigrant.
From the resort in Zvërnec to corruption, oligarchy, and the development model, a civic movement is challenging the system.
For more than a month, Albania has been experiencing a mobilization that has no precedent in recent years. On June 20, in Tirana, tens of thousands of people took to the streets against the government, systemic corruption, and the growing power of local oligarchs and foreign investors.
A protest that has taken the meaningful name "Flamingo Revolution" and that, like the birds that populate Albanian lagoons, seems to have suddenly taken flight to span the entire country.
The spark was a construction project: a $4 billion luxury resort planned in Zvërnec, a protected area and one of the last untouched in the Mediterranean. A project linked to international interests, perceived by many citizens as another sale of national territory. But, as Debora Angeli, an activist and collaborator of COSPE, present in Albania for thirty years, points out, this is only the last straw.
In recent decades, Albania has undergone a radical transformation: from the fall of the communist regime to a development model characterized by "predatory capitalism" and strong individualism. This process has favored the concentration of economic power in a few hands, with oligarchies able to influence the media, the construction sector and strategic sectors, often intertwined with the illegal economy. The result is a system that is perceived as deeply unequal, where the welfare state is weak and opportunities are limited, to the extent that emigration continues to empty the country.
Environmental protection was the spark, but the protest quickly took on a broader character. The slogan "Albania is not for sale" sums up the widespread sentiment: a reaction against the giving away of natural resources, territories and infrastructure to foreign interests, often without visible benefits for the local population. It is no coincidence that the mobilization also includes other opposed projects, from hydroelectric power plants to invasive tourist developments.
Tourism itself represents one of the most visible contradictions. On the one hand, it has brought economic growth and international visibility, on the other hand, it has favored exclusive and unsustainable development models. Luxury resorts and coastal privatization limit citizens' access and put pressure on vital resources, such as water, creating new social tensions.
However, what makes this mobilization particularly significant is its very nature. It has no recognized leaders and no traditional political structure. It is a horizontal movement, uniting different generations and categories: families, young people, old people and the diaspora. A protest that rejects the classic divisions between right and left to focus on a common objective: the dismantling of a system perceived as corrupt.
The demands are clear: repeal of laws that favor speculation and the concentration of power, halting major opposed projects, the resignation of the government, and holding new elections.
But beyond the immediate demands, the "Flamingo Revolution" seems to represent something deeper: a cultural shift. An attempt to break away from hierarchical and clientelistic models to build more democratic and inclusive forms of participation.
For Debora Angeli, it is a "historical event of unexpected proportions," a definition that encapsulates the essence of a movement still in development, without a certain conclusion, but with a clear transformative potential. As is often the case in such cases, time will tell whether this collective energy will translate into concrete political change or be absorbed by the system it currently opposes.
Meanwhile, Albanian squares continue to fill up. And the flamingos, a symbol of a fragile balance between nature and development, remain there to remind us of what is at stake. /Adapted from "Pamphlet" by " RSI "
The participation of the diaspora has given a nationwide dimension to the protest, with Albanians coming from various European countries to join the rally in the capital.
Skanderbeg Square is starting to fill up with citizens, as the 35th anti-government protest is being held this Saturday. Although the rally was announced to start at 7:00 PM, participants began gathering several hours earlier, creating a protest atmosphere in the center of the capital.
"Enough! The people demand dignity, justice and change," is the banner that protesters have unfurled in the square.
The Albanian diaspora has also become part of the protest, joining the mobilization in Tirana for the second time. After arriving in the capital, the columns of protesters continued towards Skanderbeg Square, where the rally is expected to take place.
Holding placards, red and black flags and banners, the protesters have begun chanting their usual slogans, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama. Organizers expect the number of participants to increase further as the protest enters its 35th day.
Today's protest is nationwide and marks the second time that Albanians from the diaspora have traveled to Albania to join the rally in Tirana. Coming from various European countries, they have joined the mobilization, declaring their support for the protest and demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.
They arrived in Tirana a few hours ago to join the announced protest against Prime Minister Edi Rama and the political caste.
Upon entering Tirana, their long convoy of vehicles caused heavy traffic at the entrance to the city. During the movement, the protesters chanted: "Rama in prison, Berisha in prison."
One of the protest coordinators stated that the participants had traveled to Albania from several European countries. According to him, some entered Albanian territory through the Muriqani border crossing, while others arrived through Igoumenitsa.
Organizers said Albanians from Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Belgium, France, Austria, Great Britain and Germany joined the protest. According to them, many of the participants traveled for about two days to attend the rally.
The mobilization aims to unite the voice of the diaspora in support of the protest.
Lini një Përgjigje