European Liberals harshly criticize Rama, support protests: Albanians deserve a government serving the citizen, not the powerful

The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party (ALDE) has openly sided with Albanian citizens who have been protesting in the capital for 45 days, strongly criticizing the executive led by Edi Rama for allocating 4 million euros for a show by American rapper Kanye West. In a message published on social platforms, ALDE emphasizes that “Albania is not for sale,” referring to civic movements against corruption and the controversial investment plan on the island of Sazan.

According to the reaction, thousands of Albanians have been demonstrating for weeks in the streets of Tirana against corruption and the dubious project on the island, while the government is using public funds worth 4 million euros for a Kanye West concert, despite his anti-Semitic views and proximity to Nazi ideology. ALDE expresses regret over this situation and calls on the Trump family that Albania cannot be treated as a commodity on the market.

The European liberal political force reconfirms its full support for the protesters and calls for a governance model that puts citizens’ interests ahead of those of powerful groups. The full statement contains a clear message: Albanians have the right to an administration that serves them, not the interests of the powerful.

The ALDE Party represents a pan-European political alliance that brings together liberal and democratic forces from different countries of the continent, being an active part of the liberal spectrum in the institutions of the European Union.