Prime Minister Edi Rama has reacted to the objections accompanying the Socialist Party’s proposal for Territorial Reform, insisting that the process is still in the 60-day public consultation phase. But alongside his call to hear all sides, he also chose confrontational language toward critics, including voices from within the Socialist Party itself.
Rama’s reaction after protests and objections
In a post on X, Rama presented his version of the situation, while downplaying voices that read the dissatisfaction as a political problem for the majority. According to him, the objections and protests over the proposed map are not a sign of any “regime,” but part of a normal phase of debate.
However, the prime minister’s reaction did not remain limited to procedural clarification. He became directly involved in labeling critics, placing the objections somewhere between formal normality and verbal political attack.
“Shameful act” over the burning of Socialist Party membership cards
Rama called the burning of Socialist Party membership cards in one of the reported cases a “shameful act,” claiming that the people involved had not fully understood what they were doing.
He also criticized some Socialist deputies, whom he said had played the “little tribunes of the common people” without fully understanding the issue. This shows that the clash over Territorial Reform is not developing only between the government and its opponents, but also within the Socialist camp.
The government speaks of a 60-day consultation
According to Rama, the reform document is in the legal phase of public consultation for 60 days, a period during which every party can freely express its position on the proposed changes.
He added that, under the law, mayors and municipal councils must submit their positions in writing. At the same time, the prime minister also accepted other peaceful forms of opposition, as long as they, according to the official version, do not block roads and do not create conflict with the law.
The final decision remains with Parliament
Rama said that Parliament will decide on the reform, while until then, according to him, all sides will be heard. He also mentioned the possibility that certain municipalities may seek the integration of smaller municipalities near them, although this has not been reflected in the current proposal.
In the end, the prime minister defended the logic of the proposals drafted by the majority, implying that historical arguments, the reputation of areas, or similar elements were not taken into consideration as a basis for decision-making. This is precisely where the core of the public debate remains: how real the space for listening is when the government, in parallel, delegitimizes part of the objections being raised against the reform.
For the moment, the government’s official position is that the process is open and subject to consultation for 60 days.
But the language used toward critics, especially those within the Socialist Party, shows that the debate over Territorial Reform is unfolding in a climate of political tension and not simply as a technical exercise in public consultation.