Rama compares protests in Albania with those in the EU, Koçeku: A democratic government answers to young people, it does not cover up violence with statistics

Independent MP Marjana Koçeku has responded to the table published by Prime Minister Edi Rama, in which he compared the number of protesters and police officers injured during protests in Albania with those in European Union countries.

According to Koçeku, the comparison presented by the head of government is not accompanied by enough data to understand the circumstances of the events. In a social media post, she said the figures used by Rama refer to protests held in Europe during 2010–2019, without specifying the particular events or their context.

In her response, Koçeku accused the prime minister of using figures out of context to support his argument regarding student protests in Albania. She stressed that statistical data cannot serve as an argument without information about the period, circumstances and nature of the protests.

Marjana Koçeku’s response:

At today’s summit in Montenegro, the prime minister gave no facts when he spoke about the students’ protest. But he did give ammunition to his militants. Look at his table. He compares today’s protests with events from 2010–2019 in Europe, without context, without precise dates, without saying what actually happened. He is presenting figures from the past as if they referred to recent events.

A number without context cannot be an argument; it is speculation. Students are not asking for much. They simply want a government that does not lie to them. A government that does not beat them. A government that does not use education funds to reward those who beat them. A democratic government answers to young people. It does not cover up violence with statistics.