In a public appearance, Bajrami stressed that the country’s reality cannot be measured through conferences or statistics provided by the executive, but by looking closely at the conditions inside healthcare facilities.

She invited citizens to go to the Pediatrics, Gynecology, Oncology, Orthopedics, and Emergency clinics to witness for themselves the shortages, excessively long queues, and daily challenges faced by both patients and medical staff.

Bajrami clarified that doctors and nurses are not to blame for this reality, as they continue to keep the system afloat despite difficult working conditions.

The LDK MP pointed the finger at the government for mismanaging public money, noting that despite an annual budget of around four billion euros, the healthcare sector constantly suffers from a lack of medicines, medical materials, and basic supplies.

According to the MP, contracts for cleaning, linens, food, and medicines are awarded for significant sums in healthcare, yet patients still face essential shortages. She also highlighted reports of a lack of breast cancer therapy at the University Clinical Center of Kosovo (UCCK), claiming that patients are forced to secure those treatments themselves.

Bajrami emphasized that this situation has a clear name, directly linking it to the phenomenon of corruption. Political responsibility, she said, lies with the incumbent government, including the Parliamentary Committee on Health, which is chaired by acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

“If healthcare fails, it is not just a government that fails, but the entire state fails,” she said.

Her remarks came just a day after the University Clinical Center of Kosovo (UCCK) took very seriously the concerns expressed publicly about the experience of Aulona Memeti’s family during the treatment of their minor child at the Pediatrics Clinic. Consequently, the director of UCCK has ordered the creation of an ad-hoc committee, which is conducting a thorough administrative investigation to clarify all aspects of the incident.

The post Bajrami: Healthcare Situation Critical, Corruption Behind It appeared first on Albeu.com.

Even on this 35th day, the protesters’ central demand remains unchanged: the departure of the prime minister. Organizers have said the mobilization will continue until this demand is met.

According to the organizers, the diaspora is also expected to be present in Tirana at today’s protest.

They also said that convoys have been on the move since yesterday, while police have announced that every Albanian citizen entering the country during these days will be subjected to thorough checks. This has been interpreted as an attempt to prevent the diaspora from taking part in the Tirana protest.

A day earlier, at the 34th protest, the rally lasted four hours and unfolded peacefully, unlike what happened during the 32nd and 33rd protests. Those two days were marked by tensions; participant and former KLA soldier Dritan Goxhaj was arrested, while 19 people were arrested on the 33rd day. Alongside the arrests, there was bloodshed, flour and paint throwing, and numerous verbal clashes.

On developments related to security in Albania, the possibility of escalation, and the response of the police and organizers, Albania-based security expert Fatjon Softa spoke to “Bota sot”.

According to Softa, tensions between the sides have been rising.

He believes the biggest concern is the fact that incidents are becoming an expected part of the protests.

“The situation should not be judged only by the number of injured people or the destruction of public property, but by 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 functioned fully. 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 goals 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 what people expect from protests. This must not be normalized,” Softa said.

According to him, the possibility of escalation is present, although it can be avoided.

“The risk of escalation exists, especially when political tension remains high and institutional dialogue is limited.

The main factors are:

* harsh political rhetoric;

* lack of trust in institutions;

* small groups that may seek confrontation;

* the use of social networks for emotional mobilization or disinformation;

* unrestrained 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 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, these too must be dealt with according to the law,” Softa underlined.

He calls for more communication between the police and organizers, while from the latter he expects public distancing from any act of violence, cooperation with authorities to ensure the gathering runs smoothly, and help in identifying and isolating individuals aiming to provoke clashes.

“I would like to see greater investment in communication with organizers, early identification of elements seeking 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 protest management;

* maintain continuous communication with organizers;

* use force only as a last resort and in a proportionate way;

* 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 people 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.

The post Albania’s 35th protest: security expert warns of factors that could trigger escalation appeared first on Albeu.com.

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.

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.

The post The 35th protest in Albania: security expert warns of factors that could lead to escalation appeared first on Albeu.com.

Police officials on the ground said that the situation has so far been calm and that the same situation is expected to continue through to the end.

KosovaPress has meanwhile learned that police forces have already been increased in order to monitor the situation and guarantee security for citizens.

The date of June 28 is linked to the Battle of Kosovo, in which the coalition of Balkan peoples’ armies was defeated by the Ottoman Empire. After this defeat, the peoples of the Balkans either fell under Ottoman occupation or were forced to become vassals of the sultan. Albanian princes continued the resistance, and the best known among them was Skanderbeg. Serbia was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire.

The Battle of Kosovo took place on June 28 (June 15 according to the old calendar), 1389, in the Kosovo Field, between the coalition of Balkan peoples’ armies led by Prince Lazar and the Ottoman forces led by Sultan Murad I (reigned 1360–89). The clash was fierce, and both leaders, Prince Lazar and Sultan Murad, as well as many other princes, were killed during it. Both armies were almost completely wiped out.

However, the Ottoman Empire had the means and resources to raise a new army in a shorter period of time. The peoples of the Balkans, on the other hand, were unable to recover quickly, and most of them ended up under Ottoman rule.

There is not much data on the Battle of Kosovo, and in fact a large part of it contradicts one another.

For this reason, this event today is known more for the myths surrounding it than for the historical facts.

Under the rule of Sultan Murad I, the Ottomans expanded their power from Anatolia toward the Balkans. In the summer of 1389, Sultan Murad arrived in Kosovo, where he confronted the coalition of princes.

Although this battle is often presented as a confrontation between Serbs and Turks, or between Christians and Muslims, the facts show the opposite.

On one side were the Ottomans, whose army also included soldiers from their subject peoples and vassal princes, including Christians.

On the other side stood a coalition of princes of the Balkan peoples, which also included many Albanian princes.

It is known that Prince Lazar was killed in the battle, but the circumstances of his killing are not known. Another Serbian prince, Vuk Branković, when he saw that the battle could not be won and that as many soldiers as possible had to be saved, withdrew from the confrontation. In Serbian accounts, Branković is described as a traitor, and his betrayal is considered the cause of Prince Lazar’s death.

Sultan Murad I was also killed in this battle, and it is believed that he was killed by Miloš Obilić, one of the main figures in the stories and legends related to the Battle of Kosovo.

After Murad I, his son Bayezid I came to the throne, and for a period he continued the campaign to expand the Ottoman conquest in the Balkans, but in 1403 he was defeated near Ankara by the Mongol troops of Tamerlane.

This created an opportunity for Albanian lords to strengthen their positions. It was precisely in this period that families such as the Balshaj, the Dukagjini and the Zaharia in Northern Albania; the Kastrioti, Topia, Arianiti, Muzaka and Gropa in Central Albania; as well as the Shpata and the Zenebishi in Southern Albania emerged.

At the same time, Venice managed to take the coastal cities, from the Bay of Kotor to Arta. Budva, Ulqin, Shkodra, Lezha, Durrës and Parga, which were important trade and exchange centers with the country’s inland regions, became part of what is known in history as Venetian Albania.

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Tensions in the Middle East have returned, as the US military carried out further strikes against Iranian targets on the orders of President Donald Trump.

US Central Command said the attack was a direct response to ongoing Iranian aggression.

“American military aircraft targeted Iranian military surveillance infrastructure, communication systems, air defense sites, drone storage facilities, and mine deployment capabilities,” CENTCOM said in a statement.

The additional strikes come after an Iranian attack on Thursday against a commercial vessel near the Strait of Hormuz. The US then launched strikes against Iran around the Strait of Hormuz on Friday.

“Following yesterday’s US strikes in response to the Iranian attack on the M/V Ever Lovely, Iran was given a chance to honor the ceasefire agreement, but chose not to do so when its forces launched a one-way attack drone that struck the M/T Kiku this morning at 4:30 a.m. ET,” the CENTCOM statement said.

CNN writes that the wave of strikes complicates the initial US-Iran agreement signed this month, which was aimed at expanding the ceasefire and restoring traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

US President Donald Trump threatened more military action if Iranian attacks continue.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps objected, saying the US strikes violated the ceasefire, which would result in the complete suspension of all diplomatic processes.

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