Prime Minister Edi Rama’s warning a few days ago that people taking part in protests would be fined appears to be turning into concrete action.
Several activists and citizens have reported being fined 5,000 lek for taking part in gatherings and blocking traffic.
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According to the citizens, this is a form of pressure from Prime Minister Edi Rama to deter them from joining anti-government protests, but they insist they will not back down.
The head of the Democratic Party’s parliamentary group, Gazment Bardhi, also responded, writing in a social media post: “Fining citizens solely for exercising their right to take part in a peaceful protest constitutes a grave act of arbitrary repression and censorship of fundamental freedoms.”
He writes that “the right to assemble and protest peacefully is guaranteed by the Constitution and cannot be infringed upon, intimidated or extinguished through fines or violence.”
This comes as youth protests continue, while students and other citizens have rejected Rama’s offer of dialogue, insisting on their demand for his resignation.
