For the third time in a row, citizens and supporters of the Together Movement protested in front of the Parliament.
With the call "Hand over Belinda," they demanded the dismissal of Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku following corruption allegations.
Unanimously, the protesters brought up through their statements the need for a broad civic response in the face of the corrupt affairs of state leaders, as well as in the conditions where, according to them, the state has been seized by crime and oligarchy.
"We see Belinda in meetings as a minister and in infrastructure works for which she is not only accused of corruption, extortion, and bribery, but also in infrastructure works, which today not only cost money, but also cost and endanger people's lives in the future.", said political activist Klodi Leka, demanding her to be brought to justice.
Lëvizja Bashkë MP, Redi Muci, stated that theft has been normalized for 35 years by state leaders to the point that it has now become a virtue. Therefore, even today, according to him, in the consciousness of citizens, if you are politically engaged, it is assumed that you are a thief.
"But why does he say, if you were in the place of Agas, Balluk and Rama, wouldn't you steal too? This political party has so ingrained theft in our brains that one day, the child in the cradle will be sung the exploits of the most famous and clever thief."", said MP Muçi about the political situation in the country.
According to him, the time has come to talk about a state that represents Albanians for exclusion.
"The main priority should be the protection of the needy; of the pensioners whose years of contribution to work have been erased from the records by this state. Of those who die alone in their homes, of the children and the elderly who beg on the streets.", declared MP Muçi.
For activist Enriko Peçuli, organizing a protest is a necessity until Edi Rama hands over Belinda Balluki and "until the oligarchs who are in partnership with him hand over privileges to the people."
Peçuli said that it's not good when the water in his building is polluted, the neighbors are dying alone, and the children have nowhere to play.
"I'm not well because the liberal says it's my fault that I'm not getting the money, that I'm not working harder, that I'm not doing better, that I deserve the government I have, that hope is only individual. I'm coming to the protest because I want to be well, because I believe in organizing people from below.", said Enriko Peçuli, among other things.
The leader of the Together Movement, Arlind Qori, shifted the narrative of how Albania should be, seeking an image of a country where young people reawaken their love for school and the elderly are no longer a burden to their families.
"Can we imagine Albania as a country where workers' rights are respected and they get paid. Where farmers don't sweat the small stuff. Where young couples are no longer afraid to have children. Where professionals don't run away from home, but choose to return and work and live in Albania?", the leader of the Joint Movement further stated.
Activist and lecturer Gabriel Rakaj brought to attention the situation the country faced from floods and corruption with investments in the country's main roads, expressing that it is an insult when roads that have lasted for years and cost billions, but still have problems, are trumpeted as achievements.
"They insult us when they say, for example, about my hometown Shkodra that it was not flooded only because the Drini, Buna, Kiri or the lake did not overflow, while agricultural lands in Shkodra and elsewhere were flooded only by rainfall. Because the canals were not cleaned, as happened in Durrës, where in addition to many canals, the main canal was blocked to make way for a foolishness, a farce of the oil oligarch, Shefqet Kastrati."", Rakaj added further in his speech.
For professor Ervin Goci, television communication is a drowning of public opinion with information that is unrelated to today's interests.
"We are in a situation where reality is slipping from our hands. It is time for each of us to clear away all the media noise and start looking at our own community, our own neighborhood, and above all, to see what we can contribute as a citizen and not just as an individual.", declared the pedagogue Goci.
The first two protests of the Together Movement took place on December 12 and 19, 2025, for a comprehensive budget and against corruption and misgovernance.
Also Read:
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Erisa Kryeziu has completed higher studies in Journalism and Communication and Master of Science in Public Relations at the University of Tirana. She has been a journalist and project manager at Citizens.al for five years, where she reports on social issues and human rights, especially on issues of rights at work, in education, gender equality, marginalized groups, people with disabilities such as and for environmental issues. At the same time, she works as a project coordinator with a focus on youth and media education. User of new reporting techniques such as "Mobile Journalism" and citizen engagement tools in reporting (ECR-Engage Citizens Journalism).
