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2026-05-08 18:00:00, Opinione Ardi Stefa

Albanians may not be able to build serious institutions.

They may not be able to hold themselves to public responsibility.

They may not respect order, the law, their profession, their vote, or even themselves.

But there is one thing they do perfectly, with a talent that should be included in UNESCO as a national treasure: they log in to cafes and Facebook.

We are superpowers there.

At the coffee table, the Albanian is simultaneously prime minister, national team coach, SPAK prosecutor, economic expert, NATO military strategist, and political philosophy professor.

With a long espresso in front of him with three spoons of sugar and a cigarette in his hand, he solves the crisis in the Middle East, overthrows the government, saves the opposition and reforms the judiciary.

Then he gets up, leaves a 10 lek tip, scratches his stomach, spits, and goes home to complain that "This place is not working."

On Facebook? Is it on Facebook that we reach another level of civilization. There, every functional illiterate becomes an academic. He comments and rants without reading the status or writing of the other. He writes to oppose and not because he has understood.

On Facebook, every militant becomes a moralist. Every military man becomes a philosopher. Every patronageist becomes a patriot. Every corrupt person shouts against corruption. And every person who has never read even half a book in their life writes 3,000-word statuses about democracy, the nation, betrayal, and European morality.

People who don't stand up for their rights, but stand up for a comment on Facebook.
People who don't protest taxes, poverty or vote theft, but are ready to wage civil war for a status, a share or an emoji.

In our Albania, everyone is “revolted”, but no one moves. Everyone “knows the truth”, but no one takes responsibility. Everyone “hates the system”, but in the end everyone is looking for a friend in the municipality, a cousin in the party, a tender, a job or a favor.

Because the Albanian does not want change. The Albanian only wants personal privilege. That is why coffee and Facebook are the ideal parliament of the Albanian; lots of noise, lots of false patriotism, lots of bravery with words and zero personal cost.

In Albania, people are not measured by the work they do, but by the way they shout. Those who build are not respected, but those who curse and are cursed more beautifully. The professional is not listened to, but the delusional person with the internet and a profile with a national flag.

And then we wonder why we are always governed by the same ones.

Very simple: The government is not afraid of people who speak. It is afraid of people who act.

While for years we have confused revolution with commentary and oppositionism with coffee shops.

After all, this is our national model: One steals. Another complains. The third makes a status. The fourth "likes." The fifth "dislikes." The sixth curses angrily without understanding why.

And tomorrow everyone will be back at the cafe, discussing why Albania won't be built.