Albania is holding its 35th mass protest today, with citizens continuing to demand the government’s removal and the non-negotiable resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.
Even on this 35th day, the protesters’ central demand remains unchanged: the departure of the prime minister. Organizers have said the mobilization will continue until this demand is met.
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According to the organizers, the diaspora is also expected to be present in Tirana at today’s protest.
They also said that convoys have been on the move since yesterday, while police have announced that every Albanian citizen entering the country during these days will be subjected to thorough checks. This has been interpreted as an attempt to prevent the diaspora from taking part in the Tirana protest.
A day earlier, at the 34th protest, the rally lasted four hours and unfolded peacefully, unlike what happened during the 32nd and 33rd protests. Those two days were marked by tensions; participant and former KLA soldier Dritan Goxhaj was arrested, while 19 people were arrested on the 33rd day. Alongside the arrests, there was bloodshed, flour and paint throwing, and numerous verbal clashes.
On developments related to security in Albania, the possibility of escalation, and the response of the police and organizers, Albania-based security expert Fatjon Softa spoke to “Bota sot”.
According to Softa, tensions between the sides have been rising.
He believes the biggest concern is the fact that incidents are becoming an expected part of the protests.
“The situation should not be judged only by the number of injured people or the destruction of public property, but by the trend that is being created. When protests are repeated with episodes of violence, this shows that the level of tension between the sides has increased and that prevention mechanisms have not functioned fully. Protest is a constitutional right and must be guaranteed by institutions. It is equally important to ensure public order and the safety of citizens. These are not goals that exclude one another; on the contrary, they must go hand in hand. From a security point of view, what is worrying is that clashes are becoming part of what people expect from protests. This must not be normalized,” Softa said.
According to him, the possibility of escalation is present, although it can be avoided.
“The risk of escalation exists, especially when political tension remains high and institutional dialogue is limited.
The main factors are:
* harsh political rhetoric;
* lack of trust in institutions;
* small groups that may seek confrontation;
* the use of social networks for emotional mobilization or disinformation;
* unrestrained reactions from either side during the protest.
However, escalation is not inevitable. It can be prevented if all sides act responsibly and respect the law,” the expert stressed.
Softa says any use of force must be necessary, proportionate and documented, adding that body cameras were missing to record it.
“The State Police has the legal obligation to guarantee both public order and the exercise of the right to protest. This is a difficult balance. Any use of force must be necessary, proportionate and documented; body cameras were missing to record it. If there has been an overstepping of authority, it must be investigated. If there have been attacks on officers, these too must be dealt with according to the law,” Softa underlined.
He calls for more communication between the police and organizers, while from the latter he expects public distancing from any act of violence, cooperation with authorities to ensure the gathering runs smoothly, and help in identifying and isolating individuals aiming to provoke clashes.
“I would like to see greater investment in communication with organizers, early identification of elements seeking violence and their isolation without creating clashes with peaceful protesters. Police professionalism is measured not only by the ability to intervene, but also by the ability to prevent conflict.
Responsibility is shared.
Institutions must:
* professionally plan protest management;
* maintain continuous communication with organizers;
* use force only as a last resort and in a proportionate way;
* document every incident for transparency and accountability.
Organizers must:
* publicly distance themselves from every act of violence;
* cooperate with authorities to ensure the gathering proceeds smoothly;
* help identify and isolate people who attempt to provoke clashes.
At the end of the day, success is not measured by the number of those detained or injured. It is measured by whether citizens are able to protest freely, while public order is preserved without violence and without infringing fundamental rights,” the expert concluded.
