Elderly man protests over 10,000 lek pension: Forced to work illegally, I’m in court. Opposition should lock themselves in Parliament

An elderly man has taken to the streets to express his discontent, stressing that his only monthly income is a pension of just 10,000 lek. He is also involved in a court case and, in order to survive, is forced to carry out undeclared work.

He called on all pensioners, especially former metalworkers and miners, not to stay on the sidelines in cafés, but to join the protest. Recalling his past at the Mjekës steel plant, he noted that while a deputy of that era only benefited from overtime, today’s politicians receive hefty subsidies.

According to his calculation, the former salary of 9,000 lek should today reach 900,000 lek. But now, faced with impossibility, he admits he does illegal work, the income from which the government takes away from him. The elderly protester also invited oil workers and miners to take to the streets, pointing out that patronage employees and police officers receive 50,000 lek.

In the end, he had a direct message for opposition lawmakers, challenging them, if they have courage and consider themselves representatives of half a million people, to lock themselves in Parliament together with Saliu and not budge from there.