Anti-government protest enters its 117th day as Albanians continue their resistance: Rama must resign!

The protest against the government and Prime Minister Edi Rama enters its 117th day today, with citizens announcing two gatherings in the capital.

Unlike on ordinary protest days, this Thursday citizens will first gather at 9:30 a.m. outside the Albanian Parliament, on the same day lawmakers are scheduled to hold a plenary session.

Protesters have been warning for days that parliamentary sessions will be accompanied by morning rallies, shifting the protest from the prime minister’s office to Parliament for a few hours.

Earlier, one of the activists announced that September 10, 17 and 24, which coincide with plenary session days, would see citizens mobilize in the morning.

In the afternoon, citizens are expected to return to the routine followed for months, gathering in Skanderbeg Square and then marching along Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard toward the prime minister’s office.

The previous day, at the 116th protest, citizens also first gathered in Skanderbeg Square and then marched toward the government building, where they continued with speeches and chants against the government.

The protesters’ main demand remains the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama and the departure of the government.

The platform presented during the protests has also called for the formation of a transitional government with a 12-month mandate which, according to the organizers, should prepare the country for the next elections.

In recent days, rallies have repeatedly featured calls for Rama’s resignation, while protesters have leveled corruption allegations and carried placards related to the latest political developments and cases under investigation by the justice system.

The protest began months ago and has taken place every day in Tirana. Its main routine has been gathering in Skanderbeg Square, marching toward the prime minister’s office, and then hearing speeches by citizens and activists outside the government building. On some days, the protest has also spread to other streets in the capital.

This Thursday, however, the 117th day of protests will begin in the morning. Protesters are expected outside Parliament at 9:30 a.m., then will return to Skanderbeg Square in the afternoon to continue their usual march toward the prime minister’s office.