Prime Minister Edi Rama spoke about the specific nature of protests in Albania during his participation in the Paris Peace Forum, comparing them with similar movements in Italy and France.
During a discussion on European Union enlargement and the future of younger generations, Rama was asked what distinguishes protests in Albania from those taking place elsewhere in Europe.
He said the protests had their own particular features, distinguishing between the large demonstrations in early June and the later episodes of violence.
According to Rama, public anger was initially fuelled by the controversial project involving Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump.
He said the early June demonstrations brought together large numbers of people from different walks of life who wanted to express their concerns about the project.
However, Rama stressed that the violence that followed involved only a small number of protesters and did not reflect the nature of the initial demonstrations.
“A very small number of protesters remained and later escalated the situation into violence. This is certainly unacceptable and has nothing to do with what the protest was at the beginning,” he said.
Turning to the wider European situation, Rama described it as complex. He also highlighted the influence of social media on young people, particularly the way they receive information and respond to content shared online.
He said the growing tension between the real world and social media was shaping young people’s views and, in some cases, encouraging forms of escalation that were unacceptable in a democratic society.
/a.c/
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