Erlis Sina reacted this Tuesday to a post made earlier by Prime Minister Edi Rama, in which, according to him, his photograph was used in connection with the citizens’ protest taking place in Tirana, which has entered its 24th day.
In a message published on social media, Sina said he does not accept being equated with the head of government and considers him responsible for the problems that, according to him, have driven citizens to protest.
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“Don’t tell me that in my photograph you see yourself. I am not you. I am not the one who has held power in his hands for years. I am not the one who signs decisions that change people’s lives,” Sina wrote in his response.
He went on to openly criticize the government, describing the prime minister as the “author of the emigration of thousands of young people,” of injustices, and of the arrogance of power.
In his response, Sina also focused on the citizens’ protest in the capital and stressed that those taking part are not going out into the square because of the influence of algorithms, influencers, or political forces, but because they face real hardships every day.
“Thousands of people do not fill the squares because they are manipulated by the algorithm. They do not protest because influencers ask them to. They are not angry because the opposition dictates it. They go out into the square because they live that reality every day,” he said.
According to him, the protest is fueled by economic hardship, the state of public services, and the departure of young people from the country, while he accuses Rama of trying to downplay the reasons behind citizens’ anger.
At the end of his message, Sina asks the prime minister not to use his photograph to justify or conceal, in his view, the failures of the government.
“My photograph on your wall stains me. Do not use it to wash away your responsibilities. Do not use it to hide your failures. I am not you,” he concludes in his response.
This reply came after earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Edi Rama published a lengthy message for the protesters at the rally that has been held in Tirana for 24 days, also using the citizen’s photograph.
In that message, Rama said he does not consider the protesters losers, but citizens who have remained faithful to their beliefs and concerns. He said that some of them may be driven by real problems related to the economy, property, the environment, healthcare, or social injustice.
The head of government also argued that citizens’ anger is often exploited by political actors, commentators, influencers, and social media mechanisms for various interests, while calling on protesters not to allow their concerns to be used by others.
It was precisely in response to these statements and the use of his photograph in Rama’s post that Erlis Sina published his reaction, underlining that he is “simply a citizen” and that his participation in the protest stems from his own beliefs and personal experience, not from the influence of political or media factors.
