Physician and educator Besnik Jakaj has criticized Prime Minister Edi Rama’s stance toward the student protests, accusing the government of attempting to control institutions and downplay the significance of citizen reaction. Jakaj said Albania is experiencing a wave of protests linked to demands for respect for rights, dignity and freedom. According to him, the movement is taking on broader dimensions, while teachers’ support for students constitutes an important element in this confrontation.
Jakaj praised the commitment of young people in the protests, describing them as a hope for changing the situation in the country. He also called for more citizen reaction in the face of cases of police violence, stressing that silence toward them should not be considered a neutral position.
Commenting on the prime minister’s statements about the students, the educator emphasized that their rights are guaranteed by law and do not depend on the will or personal decisions of the head of government. Jakaj accused Rama and the structures close to him of trying to minimize the number of protesters and the scale of the movement. According to the educator, the importance of the protest is not measured only by the number of participants, but above all by the demands it raises against corruption and misgovernance.
