At the height of protests that for more than a month have seen citizens demand the prime minister’s removal, independent MP Marjana Koçeku says “Brussels must stop treating Edi Rama as the country’s only European voice.”
In an interview with Euractiv, Koçeku, who left the Socialist Party last month, said she could no longer remain in a political force that is pursuing policies that harm the environment.
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“I could no longer belong to a group that not only does not support the environment, but drafts policies that damage it. I have also supported initiatives by opposition colleagues, because I consider this my civic right,” she said.
The protests, which have lasted for more than a month, oppose luxury tourism projects planned near the protected Vjosa-Narta area, including investments linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump.
The movement has been dubbed by protesters the “Flamingo Revolution,” a reference to the flamingos that live in this ecosystem.
According to Koçeku, the protests reflect a deep crisis of trust in institutions and the political class.
“There is no longer any legitimacy, neither for the government nor for the traditional opposition. Both have shown that they work only for the interests of a small group,” she said.
For his part, Prime Minister Rama has described the protests as “digital hysteria” and an “imaginary revolution,” accusing opponents and online activists of exaggerating the situation.
Koçeku rejects this stance, saying the government is trying to create the impression that the protests are harming the European integration process.
“He is using the media to create the belief that, if we protest, we are undermining the integration process and the confidence of the European Union. Our politicians have completely lost touch with reality,” the MP said.
She called on the European Union to build a more direct relationship with Albanian citizens and not only with the government.
“European integration should not be just a bureaucratic process. The EU must create direct links with people, because they are the ones who know whether reforms are felt in daily life or not,” Koçeku said.
The MP, who entered parliament at the age of 24, stressed that the younger generation has a more European political culture than the current political elite.
“The younger generation is far more politically cultured and far more European than the political elite. This is the Albania I want Brussels to see,” she said, adding: “We believe in European values. But we are not supporting our prime minister and our government.”
