Attacked by protesters in Tirana / Actor Gazmend Paja responds: I have not received tenders and I have never lived off the state

Well-known actor Gazmend Paja has broken his silence after the recent public attacks, stressing that he cannot tolerate his family being drawn into political debates.

In a statement published in the media, Paja clarifies that although he supports left-wing beliefs, he is not a member of any political party, has never benefited from the state, and has not received any posts or tenders.

Paja says he is outraged that his wife became the target of an attack solely because of his positions, underlining that, “there is a line that should never be crossed: politics ends where the family begins.”

Regarding the accusations about the strategic investment, the actor explains that his role was simply that of an intermediary between the investor and the landowners, who are his personal friends, categorically denying that he received favors or unexplained assets.

The actor’s statement:

“I am just as Albanian as you are. And like you, I am hurt to the core when someone touches my family. The eggs do not hurt me. I am used to the insults, even though I do not deserve them. (But this is my opinion.) What did hurt me was that everything happened before the eyes of my wife, the mother of our child. It hurt me that she too became the target of an attack, not for who she is, not for what she has done, but only because she walks by my side.

THERE IS A LINE THAT SHOULD NEVER BE CROSSED. POLITICS ENDS WHERE THE FAMILY BEGINS. I chose to remain silent these past few days. Not out of fear. Not because I have something to hide. I stayed silent because I have always believed that people matter more than political beliefs and that friendship is stronger than any party flag. But when my dignity and that of my family are attacked, silence is no longer a virtue. Yes, I support the Socialist Party. I have done so and continue to do so, because my beliefs are left-wing.

It is my choice and my right. But that does not mean I agree with every decision or every individual. I have criticized when I thought criticism was needed and I have supported what I believed was right. I have never been part of political structures. In fact, I do not even have a party membership card. I have not taken positions, I have not received privileges, I have not received tenders, and I have never lived off the state. I have worked since childhood.

I do not have villas on the coast. I do not have villas in the mountains. I do not have hidden properties. I do not have wealth that I cannot explain. I have only my own hands, my own sweat, my art, and my conscience. As for the issue of the strategic investment, much has been said. The truth is simple: I was only an intermediary between the investor and the landowners, who are my personal friends. As a result, I became part of the company that was going to invest. I did not receive property, favors, or benefits,” Paja writes.