Since December 8, a group of citizens and activists from the "Albania Becomes" Movement, led by Adriatik Lapaj, has been holding a continuous protest in front of the Prime Minister's Office.
They oppose Prime Minister Edi Rama's stance not to dismiss Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, who has been charged with abuses of public tenders.
The movement considers this approach an example of the degradation of governance and therefore demands the removal of the current government, the establishment of a caretaker government, and the sending of the country to early elections.
Daily resistance in front of the Prime Minister's Office
The group of activists and citizens has settled in an open environment, on the sidewalk next to the Prime Minister's Office, and continues the protest despite the low temperatures.
The protest began on "December 8", the day commemorating the December 1990 movement, which marked the end of the dictatorship in Albania. Edona Haklaj told Citizens.al that the decision to protest came after discussions and agreement within the movement that in the face of escalating corruption issues in the government, a reaction was urgently needed.
She herself was able to fully join the protest on the second day, but indicated that the situation was difficult as in the first few days the attempt to set up camping tents, which would be used by the female activists, was stopped by police officers.
"The reasoning was absurd, as if we were obstructing traffic on the road, at a time when we were placed on the sidewalk," Haklaj emphasized.
As the days passed, other activists and citizens joined the effort. By Friday morning, the group numbered at least 10 protesters who had spent their fourth night outside.
To protect themselves from the cold, they had improvised a cardboard fence, which was held up by chairs. Various citizens had brought them food, water, and blankets, while three crates of tangerines stood next to the megaphone.
"The biggest difficulty is during the nights, after 2-3 am where it gets very cold," Haklaj said.
But according to Haklaj, the support they are receiving from citizens has encouraged them to continue.
During the day, various citizens stop and exchange conversations with Lapaj and other activists, while every evening at 17:00 PM marks the main moment of the rally, where various speeches and calls are broadcast "Live!" on social networks.
Lapaj told Citizens.al that the number of participants in these afternoon rallies is increasing. He believes that the prolonged resistance could create enough pressure for the Prime Minister to resign.
From this perspective, he describes the square as an open space for all citizens without party logos, where everyone can express their concerns in the face of "autocracy," as he describes the current government.
Demand: Transitional government and free elections
For protesters, the Prime Minister's inaction against Deputy Prime Minister Balluku demonstrates the normalization of corruption at the highest levels of government. Lapaj argues that a government that keeps an official under criminal investigation in office has lost moral legitimacy. According to him, this case is symbolic of a broader crisis of accountability and transparency in government.
Faced with this situation, the "Albania Becomes" Movement proposes the establishment of a one-year technical government, composed of intellectuals from within and outside the country, with a mandate to reform the electoral framework.
The ultimate goal, according to Lapaj, is to maintain "the first truly free and fair elections after 34 years of pluralism."
The atmosphere in the square also includes unorganized citizens demanding political change.
"We want to enter Europe, but like this [with this level of corruption] no one will accept us," said a citizen after the supportive meeting he had with Lapaj.
He stated that he supported every protest, regardless of number, expressing deep distrust of political promises and the need for European standards of the current government.
The daily protest of the "Albania Becomes" Movement is different from all the protests so far from the opposition camp.
It aims to transform into a broader citizen movement against corruption and lack of accountability. However, its success will depend on the ability to maintain participation, avoid over-politicizing the movement, and generate real pressure on the government.
At a politically polarized moment, this protest is testing the space that citizens have to influence government decision-making outside of traditional party mechanisms.
Read also:
- "Reporting politics, when transparency becomes a battle"
- After 8 days, the strike of the former political persecuted ends
- The life of the Roma and Egyptian communities on the fringes of politics
Erblin Vukaj has completed his studies in “Communication Sciences” and further mastered (MSc) in “European and International Journalism” at the University of Tirana. Since 2012, Vukaj has been working as a professional journalist, gaining experience in online media, print media, radio and television. He has covered various issues such as current affairs, health, environment and sports. In parallel, he has led and been involved in several research projects on the communist past in Albania.
