“Martyr of Fatherland” Awarded for 4 Protestors of January 21 Violent Demonstration by PM

“Today marks 10 years since the tragedy of January 21, and the Albanian government has decided to give the high title of “Martyr of the Fatherland” for the four martyrs of the peaceful protest,” said PM Edi Rama in a news conference on Thursday speaking of the violent protest organized by Socialist Party in Tirana during which 4 protesters were killed, dozens of others and many police officers were injured ten years ago.
Aleks Nika, Ziver Veizi, Hekuran Deda and Faik Myrtajn lost their lives in the clashes and Rama said that it was decided that all the four of them would be declared martyrs of the nation.
“At the same time, today is the day to reflect on this 10-year journey in an effort to jointly understand that tragic event and 4 lost innocent lives have influenced our new history in two fundamental directions: the government’s relationship with the protest and in turn towards the transformation of the justice system,” he said.
The SP organized protest a decade ago turned violent with its militants storming Premier’s Office putting on fire many objects around and clashing violently with police which after some five hours when a group of protesters tried to enter the government building opened fire.
“Beyond the inconsolable wounds that hurt the souls of the families of the four martyrs and beyond the great wounds opened to our society, it served to highlight in the eyes of all the mud of politics and justice,” Rama said. /argumentum.al