Protests in Albania continue as Prime Minister calls for dialogue

Demonstrators have gathered outside government buildings in Albania's capital Tirana every night this week in protest against alleged government corruption. They have so far rejected Prime Minister Edi Rama's calls for dialogue.

On Saturday (November 7), protestors clashed with police after renewed calls for demonstrations. Police officers used water cannons to disperse crowds after some protestors set off firecrackers in the street.

Demonstrations have continued since then. Protestors often carry depictions of flamingos, which have become a symbol for the movement. The bird is indigenous to Albania's wetlands and its use as a symbol reflects the protests' ecological slant.

On Monday, demonstrators gathered outside Lezha Court, an hour outside of Tirana, to protest against plans to dismiss a case filed by residents of Kaçina against four power plants they say damage their properties, water resources and local ecosystems. Lezha Court ultimately rejected the Prosecutor's Office's request to close the case. Later that day, protestors also gathered outside the Prime Minister's Office.

Albania has seen weeks of student-led protests that have involved violent clashes and banks, courts and government buildings set alight.

Demonstrations have been going on in Albania since the summer, sparked by plans of a luxury coastal development backed by US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. It will be built on land bought from Artur Shehu – suspected by Albania's organized crime-fighting agency of drug trafficking, although he denies all allegations according to his lawyer – and protestors say the plans were fast-tracked by Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama. 

This case has become a lightning rod for Albanians who claim Albania's government is corrupt and that Rama is involved in money laundering for organized crime, specifically through luxury developments. 

Rama has denied any wrongdoing or personal acquaintance with Artur Shehu. He has also said his government is tackling corruption like never before.

Rama says the protests have more to do with international opposition to Donald Trump. Without Kushner's involvement, he said, "no one would care about flamingos, Albania, or anything." He has also called the project a "historic opportunity" for the country.After a largely peaceful summer of protests, demonstrations intensified and became violent in mid-October. 

Rama has called for demonstrators to come to the negotiating table after months of civil unrest in the country. In a Facebook video posted in October, he could be seen setting up chairs labeled 'DIALOGUE' outside the country's government building. 

"Now, whoever wants unconditional dialogue, wherever they want, whenever they want, even here if they want, I am available along with the Government," Rama said in the video. 

However, students rejected his offer of dialogue, throwing the chairs set out by Rama during demonstrations. They repeated this process with concrete blocks labeled 'dialogue', also set out by Rama.

"We are not willing to engage in dialogue. To engage in dialogue means to give Edi Rama another chance to be heard. We no longer want to listen to him," protestor and activist Entenela Ndrevataj told CGTN. "We want him to resign and take responsibility for all the corruption scandals... and for selling every inch of land for private interests."

Claims of corruption are not limited to Rama and his party. The slogan 'RnB, BnB', an abbreviation of 'Rama in Prison, Berisha in Prison' refers both to the Prime Minister and the leader of the opposition, former PM Sali Berisha. 

Berisha denies corruption. He accuses lobbyists, Rama's party, and billionaire George Soros of spreading lies about him. He has been sanctioned by the US and UK due to his alleged links to organized crime and 'significant corruption', and is currently on trial before Albania's Special Court Against Corruption and Organized Crime.

Rama has claimed that foreign and political actors are exploiting genuine economic concerns to incite violence. Of the 271 individuals arrested in the first seven days of violent protest, authorities say they identified 51 who had prior criminal records involving serious charges such as murder, drug production, extortion, prostitution, and illegal weapons possession, which experts from the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project say gives substance to the Prime Minister's claims of outside agitation.

Ndrevataj says Rama's claims are simply an attempt to divert attention and "find an external scapegoat."

Rama also says the protests are threatening Albania's hope of joining the European Union. The European Commission has condemned protesters' use of violence in Tirana and other cities. However, some MEPs, such as Germany's Michael Gahler, have called for a caretaker government in Albania while the country holds elections. 

"The caretaker government will give citizens hope for free and fair elections," Gahler said during a discussion in the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee (AFAT) on November 10. "Also, a caretaker government would convince civil society and reduce the tone of protests, in order to achieve peace."

Protests are set to continue in Tirana in the coming days, with a planned gathering on Wednesday (November 11) announced outside the Ministry of Education and protests set to continue into the night. Activists have called on the Albanian diaspora to return to Tirana on November 28-29 to join the protests.

Ndrevataj says she will continue to protest until Rama resigns. "There is enormous hope among us and a strong thirst for change," she says, adding, "There is no turning back."

Rama remains defiant, refusing to resign. "My responsibility is to listen, address legitimate concerns and keep Albania moving forward," he said in a written statement to Reuters. "The alternative would be a betrayal of the ​Albanians who gave me a strong mandate to complete negotiations on European Union membership."