Albania is set to hold its 35th mass protest today, with citizens continuing to demand the removal of the government and the non-negotiable resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.
Even on the 35th day, protesters are standing by the same main demand for the resignation of the head of government, while organizers have announced that the protests will continue until this demand is met.
Të lidhura
None found
According to the organizers, the diaspora is also expected to arrive in Tirana today.
They also said that convoys set off as early as yesterday, while police announced that every Albanian citizen entering the territory during these days will be subjected to a thorough check. This has been interpreted as an attempt to prevent the diaspora from taking part in the protest in Tirana.
A day earlier, during the 34th protest, citizens demonstrated for four hours and the gathering was peaceful, unlike on the 32nd and 33rd days. Those two protests were accompanied by tensions, during which participant and former KLA soldier Dritan Goxhaj was arrested, while on the 33rd day 19 people were arrested. Alongside the arrests, there was bloodshed, flour and egg throwing, as well as various verbal clashes.
Regarding the security situation in Albania, the possibility of escalation, as well as the response of the police and the organizers, Albania-based security expert Fatjon Softa spoke to “Bota sot.”
According to Softa, tensions between the sides have been rising.
He considers it worrying that clashes are becoming an expected part of the protests.
“The situation should not be viewed only through the number of injured people or the destruction of public property, but through the trend that is being created. When protests are repeated with episodes of violence, this shows that the level of tension between the sides has increased and that prevention mechanisms have not fully functioned. Protest is a constitutional right and must be guaranteed by institutions. It is equally important to ensure public order and the safety of citizens. These are not objectives that exclude one another; on the contrary, they must go hand in hand. From a security point of view, what is worrying is that clashes are becoming part of the expected pattern of protests. This must not be normalized,” Softa stated.
According to the expert, the risk of escalation is present, however, it can be avoided.
“The risk of escalation exists, especially when political tension remains high and institutional dialogue is limited.
Who are the main factors:
* harsh political rhetoric;
* lack of trust in institutions;
* small groups that may seek confrontation;
* the use of social networks for emotional mobilization or disinformation;
* uncontrolled reactions from either side during the protest.
However, escalation is not inevitable. It can be prevented if all sides act responsibly and respect the law,” the expert stressed.
Softa says that any use of force must be necessary, proportionate and documented, adding that body cameras were missing to record it.
“The State Police has the legal obligation to guarantee both public order and the exercise of the right to protest. This is a difficult balance. Any use of force must be necessary, proportionate and documented; body cameras were missing to record it. If there has been an overstepping of authority, it must be investigated. If there have been attacks on officers, those too must be handled according to the law,” Softa underlined.
He calls for more communication between the police and the organizers, while urging the latter to publicly distance themselves from any act of violence, cooperate with the authorities to ensure the smooth running of the gathering, and help identify and isolate people trying to provoke clashes.
“I would like to see more investment in communication with organizers, early identification of elements aiming for violence, and their isolation without creating clashes with peaceful protesters. Police professionalism is measured not only by the ability to intervene, but also by the ability to prevent conflict.
Responsibility is shared.
Institutions must:
* professionally plan the management of protests;
* maintain continuous communication with organizers;
* use force only as a last resort and in a proportionate manner;
* document every incident for transparency and accountability.
Organizers must:
* publicly distance themselves from every act of violence;
* cooperate with authorities to ensure the gathering proceeds smoothly;
* help identify and isolate persons who attempt to provoke clashes.
At the end of the day, success is not measured by the number of those detained or injured. It is measured by whether citizens are able to protest freely, while public order is preserved without violence and without infringing fundamental rights,” the expert concluded.
