The Democratic Party organized its national protest in front of the Prime Minister's Office today, in a form and content almost identical to those held earlier. The turnout was greater than that of the "pulpits", but the enthusiasm left much to be desired, while the promise of a no-holds-barred confrontation quickly faded, just like in the protests of recent years.
This time too, the scenario did not change: a few capsules, smoke bombs, and the dispersal of protesters without any concrete follow-up. Warnings of a "battle" and "people-wide revolt" remained at the level of declarations, without being transformed into an action plan or a calendar of protests.
The rally closed with a speech by Sali Berisha, who used strong and symbolic language, presenting the clash with the government as a fight for freedom.
"They ask us, what will these people do? I tell you, we will die or live for freedom. Know well that we have never lost, we have won, we have won, we will win. If we give you our word that we will not be divided even in Surrel, we will march towards Surrel. He has declared war on us, we declare war on the enemy of the Albanians. You have won the vote," Berisha declared, closing the speakers' cycle.
Belind Këlliçi, Gazmend Bardhi and other representatives of the Democratic Party also spoke at the rally, but the message remained the same: accusations against the Rama government and calls for revolt, without a clear address of what will happen next.
Although almost all speakers promised a confrontation with the government in any form and manner, Sali Berisha and the organizers did not set any other date for a new national protest. Thus, this protest ended like many others before it: with strong rhetoric, but without political continuity and without a strategy to break out of the repetitive cycle of symbolic rallies.
Also present at the protest were those dissatisfied with the leadership of the Democratic Party, former Democratic Party MP Ervin Salianji, the most voted candidate in the primary, Hysen Kadiu, and some of the group of Democrats who are organizing meetings across Albania for changes in the leadership of the Democratic Party, who joined the national protest today on the boulevard in front of the Prime Minister's Office.
The atmosphere of protest did not stop Salinj from sending another message to Berisha that he cannot exclude anyone from the DP and to reiterate that his movement will continue.
"No one can expel me. Today it is the turn to expel Edi Rama. I am in the DP, I will be in the DP. I am the co-leader of a very important movement in the DP," he told the media.
Argita Berisha and her husband joined the protest for the second time in a week. It is no coincidence that Sali Berisha's daughter has returned to the DP rallies while an internal debate process for leadership has begun in the party.
