After 62 days in the square, the protest in Tirana once again ended with the nightly march through the streets of the capital. The organizers presented the gathering as support for protests in the districts against the new territorial division, while the same political demand remained at the center: the departure of the entire political class.
Call from the boulevard for broader participation
From the “Dëshmorët e Kombit” boulevard, protesters called on citizens across the country to join the gatherings. The message of the day was to expand the protest beyond Tirana, in an effort to turn discontent over the new territorial division into broader public mobilization.
According to the organizers, the capital’s protest is also serving as support for gatherings of citizens in the districts, where the same process is being opposed.
Political response on the 62nd day
On the 62nd day of the protest, the organizers responded to Prime Minister Edi Rama regarding “Besa,” once again placing the political clash at the center of the gathering.
Once again, the protest was not presented simply as opposition to an administrative issue, but as an expression of deeper dissatisfaction with the political class as a whole.
Students’ message in the square
A student banner also appeared on the boulevard with the words “Students are protesting,” accompanied by several letters. The presence of this message was intended to show that the cause is seeking to expand to other social groups as well.
No further details were given about the contents of the letters or the organization of the students, but their presence at the protest was used as a signal of support for the gathering.
The demand remains unchanged
Despite more than two months having passed in the square, the main demand of the protest remains the same: the resignation of the entire political class.
Thursday’s gathering ended with a march through the streets of Tirana and a call for citizens to join on Saturday, August 1, in what the organizers described as a national rally.
After 62 days, the protest is trying to maintain its momentum through nightly marches and calls for broader participation.
It remains to be seen whether the call for a national rally will bring a real expansion in participation or remain at the level of symbolic mobilization.