Objections? Albanian PM defends police action and criticizes the press

O albanian prime minister today defended police action during the student protests that have been continuing for more than a week in the country and criticized the media, who accused of “glorifying and relativizing” the clashes.

At a press conference, Edi Rama, whom protesters demanded that he resign in the context of the protests, stressed that Albania and the Albanians “are being bombarded with the false idea that innocent and idealistic students are being victims of police violence.”.

“ This is a dramatic and manipulative misrepresentation of a completely different reality,” Rama said, at the same time he said he shared the reports on the number of wounded during the marches, pointing to a greater number of people affected in the police ranks.

“ The time will come to talk about corrupt media. I am here to address an aspect that I mentioned earlier, which was worth derision and insults to me, since it was interpreted as an offensive comment to the students. Since the beginning of the massive and peaceful protest, I recognized that the reasons for manifesting themselves are legitimate and can be numerous ", he said.

However, he continued, “from the beginning there has been a fact that has become evident in all its magnitude”, which is that “the escalation of violence has been prepared over months”.

“Police have data on the entry of masks and explosives through customs, as well as information on the organisation of groups linked to the Antifa movement and Iran,” he stressed.

The Prime Minister had also attributed the protests to Russia in statements earlier this week.

In addition, Rama again invited students to dialogue, although he warned that “there will be criminal consequences” for those who “have decided to resort to violence” during the protests in the capital, Tirana.

Thus, he said he was willing to “debate with anyone who thinks differently, anywhere and at any time, provided the discussion takes place without violence”.

“ Repeatedly, the invitation to dialogue and willingness to meet with anyone who seeks and believes in dialogue remain open. I am ready, anywhere and at any time, to talk to those who believe Albania should improve,” he said.

The protests are part of the “Flamingo Revolution”, a movement that began last May, after it came to the public that the government planned to sell land in a natural park to a tourist project of foreign entrepreneurs linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of the American President Donald Trump.

The students started this wave of protests to demand the resignation of Rama, who has been ruling since 2013.

The Albanian Prime Minister also criticized demonstrators who “attacked public and private goods and disturbed the daily lives of citizens,” while accusing “people with a covered face” of “using students for other purposes”.

An assessment released by the Albanian authorities after the first seven days of mass mobilizations — which included serious episodes, such as the fire at the headquarters of the Supreme Court — indicated that 310 people were injured, 191 of which were police officers, 88 protesters and 31 passers-by.

The protests became violent last week, when Albanian students went out to demand more teaching resources and began to support claims demanding Rama's resignation.