Prime Minister Edi Rama declared today, during a live broadcast on social media from his office, that Albania’s bid to join the European Union by 2030 is being challenged.
“Albania’s accession to the European Union in 2030 is being challenged, as is the traditional way of thinking about the relationship between opposing forces in a democratic space, where my freedom and rights end where yours begin. This is the challenge, this is the test,” Rama said.
Referring to violent protests and the damage caused, the head of government said he understood the reasons behind the current situation but stressed that he could not accept violence directed at businesses and other property.
“Of course, I understand far better than the overwhelming majority of those who want a false sense of calm might think all the reasons why we have ended up in this storm of stones. Not because of the people, but because of a handful of individuals, even though part of the crowd blindly supports this violence,” Rama said.
The prime minister also recalled the events of 1998, when the Prime Minister’s Office building was attacked with gunfire.
He compared those events with the current situation, also referring to the crisis caused by the collapse of pyramid schemes and the loss of Albanian citizens’ savings.
“The Prime Minister’s Office was attacked with firearms; thousands of Kalashnikov rounds were fired, and there are even videos on YouTube showing handheld rockets, like those used by Hamas terrorists,” Rama said, adding that despite the attack at the time, businesses were not burned and banks were not targeted.
He linked the current situation to the consequences of the pyramid-scheme crisis, accusing his political opponents of inciting violence.
“Why are bank counters and ATMs being attacked?” Rama asked, criticizing the damage inflicted on businesses and banking facilities during the protests.
“They are being attacked because this is the plan: to spread panic. They want people out in the streets, but there are no people in the streets,” Rama stressed.
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