Prime Minister Edi Rama said on Monday that citizens have the right to protest but must not resort to violence, as demonstrations continued in the capital in recent days.

In a social media post, Rama shared a photo from protests across Europe and urged citizens not to fall for what he described as media manipulation. He also called on demonstrators to distance themselves from those who commit acts of violence.

“Protests are a right, while violence is a crime. We will draw a clear line between the two at this critical stage of our democratic development,” Rama said. He urged citizens to remain patient and resist pressure from what he called media manipulators and misleading images circulating on their phones.

Rama warned that protesters who fail to distance themselves from violent demonstrators could also face financial consequences.

“Those who commit acts of violence must and will pay the legal and financial price for their reckless actions,” he said.

The prime minister also reiterated his willingness, and that of the governing majority, to engage in dialogue.

“Both the governing majority and I are ready to hold talks with anyone except those who commit violence and political parties that refuse to distance themselves from it. Anywhere, at any hour, without conditions,” Rama said.

/a.c/