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Rama's message to protesters: I am not afraid of crowds

2026-07-09 08:58:00, Politikë CNA

Prime Minister Edi Rama, in an interview with Corriere Della Sera, spoke about the protests that have been taking place against him and the government in Tirana for more than a month now.

Rama emphasized that he was initially reminded of the student protests of 2018 and it was a message that he took seriously, while underlining that he continues to listen to the voices of the protesters.

"At first, I was reminded of the student protests of 2018: different people, different motivations, sincere concerns and a message that I took seriously. I listened and continue to listen to it," Rama replied during an interview with Corriere della Sera.

Rama's interview in Corriere Della Sera

Has the protest changed now?

As the weeks have passed, the nature of the protest has changed. Today, it is no longer just a civic concern about the environment. It is also a political protest, led by a coalition of opposition parties, political actors, and networks from abroad, who have a common goal: to attack the government. And there is a global dimension here too.

In what sense?

The name Trump is not just an investor in this story: it is the world’s largest source of digital anger. Wherever Trump appears, political, media and digital armies for and against him are automatically activated. Because of this project, Albania has suddenly become a small arena where global anti-Trumpists clash with Trump, while the real Albanian debate on the environment, development and law is often drowned out by this imported noise. This does not invalidate any sincere citizen who protests. But I have a duty to distinguish between the citizen who cares about nature and the hysteria factories that seek to use Albania as a stage for their battles.

They are demanding that the government stop the project in Zvërnec, which is linked to the Trump family.

The government has nothing to block, because there is still no final project. There is no building permit. There is no construction site. There is no final decision about which it can be said: stop it. To demand the cancellation of a project that does not yet exist in its final form is a political demand, not a government decision. A serious government does not act on the basis of fantasies, but on the basis of documents, laws, studies and standards.

And what are you doing?

We are waiting for the final project. And I hope it will be an extraordinary project, with architects, urban planners, environmental engineers, biodiversity experts and the highest European standards. My ambition is not to become 'another resort', but a new development model where tourism and nature are not mutually exclusive.

Why are you resisting the idea of ??a blockade? Are you afraid of the American administration?

No. I am not afraid of the American administration, nor of social media, nor of the crowd. I have a responsibility to Albania. The criterion will not be the name of the investor, nor the global noise for or against Trump. The criterion will be one: does the project meet the legal, environmental, architectural and strategic standards that European Albania deserves? If so, it continues. If not, it does not. Period.

You used abusive language towards protesters. This is not a normal reaction...

If something I said has hurt sincere people protesting out of concern for nature, I am completely free to say: I am sorry. But I do not accept the equating of sincere citizens with smear factories, political propaganda, anonymous accounts, slanderers, threats and hysterics. I speak to the former. I engage with the latter.

You say people are misinformed. What is the truth?

The truth is much simpler than the legend. No construction has begun. No sale of Sazan. No concreting of the lagoon. None of the apocalypses that circulate every day on social media. There is a potential tourism development process, which will be reviewed only on the basis of the law, environmental studies and international standards. And yes, our ambition is that any development there not only does not harm the environment, but brings measurable benefits.

I repeat: is it no longer reasonable to block the project, given the popular reaction?

The popular reaction must be heard. But the state cannot be governed by the remote control of social networks. If every process stops as soon as a digital storm arises, then we no longer have law, we no longer have economy, we no longer have institutions. We only have fear. And fear is not public policy.

The protesters are demanding your resignation and also want you not to run again.

In a democracy, resignations are not decided by megaphones, but by institutions and citizens through voting. I have a clear mandate. Anyone who thinks I should leave has the right to organize, run and win elections. This is democracy. An ultimatum is not democracy.

You won the election, but the dissatisfaction is still there.

Victory is not a vaccine against discontent. A mandate is not a license for complacency. There is a well-known phenomenon in politics: when a country improves, citizens become less tolerant of what still doesn't work. Better roads make potholes less annoying. Faster services make every delay more unbearable. The fight against corruption makes every scandal more unacceptable. This is the 'revolution of rising expectations'. And it is a sign that society has not given up. Our task is to listen better, explain more clearly, and correct faster.

But are these protests more against the project or against the government?

They started out of concern about the project. Today they are also a political protest against the government. That is not a problem. The opposition has the right to protest. The problem arises when the environment is used as a costume for a power struggle that has nothing to do with flamingos, the lagoon, or the law.

You mentioned foreign interference. Do you have any proof?

I’m talking about digital interference, not citizens taking to the streets. These are two different things. We’ve seen artificial amplification from abroad, massive use of VPNs, anonymous accounts, platforms connected to propaganda ecosystems, and malicious actors. Institutions will issue their report. But I want to be clear: foreign interference does not invalidate the protests of honest citizens. It only shows that their concerns are being used by others for other purposes.

Have you been too focused on Albania's image abroad, neglecting its internal problems?

Albania's image abroad is not cosmetic. It is the economy, investments, tourism, diplomacy, security and respect for Albanians. But yes, internal problems are not solved by waving flags at international summits. Pensions, healthcare, property, everyday justice, public services: there is still a lot to do here. I do not deny it.

So, what is your response to the accusations of corruption, low pensions, poor healthcare, and lack of prospects for young people?

I don't call all the accusations. Some are real problems. Pensions are still low. Health care still has open wounds. Legal uncertainty will not disappear with a law. Young people demand more and they have a right. But today's Albania is not the same as it was before. Wages have increased. Employment has increased. The economy is stronger. Justice is reaching the untouchables. The country is closer to the European Union than ever before. This is not enough. But it is nothing.

Transparency International ranks Albania among the most corrupt countries in Europe. Who is responsible?

I am not impressed by reports based on perceptions. The report I take most seriously is the European Commission's Progress Report. And there is a fact that speaks louder than perceptions: in Albania, for the first time, the justice system is investigating ministers, mayors, MPs, businessmen and powerful individuals. This is not the end of corruption, but it is the beginning of the end of impunity. And it is a historic change.

You still maintain electoral strength: is this due to the merit of the government or the weakness of the opposition?

Both. It would be arrogant to say only the first and hypocritical to deny the second. But no one wins for long just because of the weakness of their opponent. People can be unhappy with many things, but they know how to distinguish between a force that works, makes mistakes, corrects itself and moves forward, and an opposition that often thrives more on hatred of me than on a vision for Albania.

By the way, who is the leader of the opposition?

This is what the opposition says, not me. I do not name its leaders. The problem is that the opposition has more contenders for the throne of anger than bearers of a government project. But this is their problem.

Are you worried that the protests will harm the tourist season?

Not because of the protests. A country where people protest freely is a democratic country, not a dangerous one. My concern is the false image created by digital hysteria: as if Albania were in chaos, as if it were burning, as if it had no institutions. This is not true. Albania is open and safe, and this season will prove it again.

Could the EU accession process be slowed down?

No. Peaceful protests do not harm the process. On the contrary, they demonstrate a free society. What would harm the European process would be replacing the rule of law with street pressure, or returning disinformation to public policy.

What solution do you propose to the protesters?

Transparency, dialogue and action. The solution cannot be: 'Ban everything because I say so'. The solution is: verify everything, correct what needs to be corrected, ban what is against the law and public interest, and allow what the country needs.

Some say that there is no longer any difference between the Socialist Party and the state.

It is a political thesis, not a fact. Albania has institutions. There is a judiciary that makes decisions against government officials and the government itself. There is media where the vast majority of the content is critical of the government. There is an opposition that protests outside my office. There are elections that Albanians certify. The formula 'the party is the state' is free propaganda for a much more complex reality.

Is there anything you should have handled better during this month of protests?

Of course there are things that could have been done better. There always are. But I don't regret not doing what the digital crowd demanded: declaring a guilty verdict before there was any evidence and stopping a project before there was a project. My job is not to please everyone at all times. My job is to protect the law, the public interest and the future of Albania./ CNA