Protest for Rama's removal, Tabaku: The revolt is against the system that works for the minority

Democratic Party MP Jorida Tabaku spoke in parliament about the citizen protest that has been taking place in Tirana for 11 days. She said that she has been part of the protest since the first day, listening closely to the concerns of citizens who, according to her, are expressing revolt against an unjust economic and political system.

According to Tabaku, the protest is not just about a project or the Zvërnec issue, but about a broader dissatisfaction with the governance model that, according to her, has favored the minority at the expense of the majority.

"Albanians have understood the truth much earlier than politics. They feel it every day when they pay their bills, when they do the calculations at the end of the month, and when they are faced with a system that does not work for them," she said.

Tabaku argued that the distrust of large projects stems from the fact that citizens no longer believe that the law applies equally to everyone. She recalled that for years she has opposed the Strategic Investments Law and the changes to the Protected Areas Law, warning of the consequences that she believes are emerging today.

The DP MP said that three years ago she collaborated with civil society organizations to raise concerns about changes in Protected Areas with European institutions, while recalling that opposition to the Strategic Investments Law dates back more than a decade.

According to her, the Strategic Investment Law, initially adopted as a temporary measure, has turned into a permanent mechanism that has produced millions of square meters of construction permits, but very little real foreign investment.

"A law that was born as temporary has become permanent. It has produced millions of square meters of construction and only one foreign investor," Tabaku declared.

In her speech, she emphasized that the protesters are reacting to an economic model that has damaged competition, meritocracy, and trust in institutions. According to her, the system built over the past few years has favored clientelism, concessions, and privileges for a limited group of interests.

Tabaku accused the socialist majority of having approved in the Assembly the legal mechanisms that have made this model possible, citing the Law on Strategic Investments, concessions, public-private partnerships and legal changes that, according to her, have violated the public interest.

She also raised concerns about economic inequalities, emigration, and the shrinking middle class, noting that many areas of the country are facing poverty and youth exodus.

"The question today is not who builds, but for whom is Albania being built. For Albanian families or for a handful of companies that benefit from this system?" she said.

In conclusion, Tabaku called for more transparency, the restoration of Parliament's decision-making role, and the building of a development model that, according to her, is in line with European standards and values.

"Albania deserves to be different. We need to change the economic model, restore trust and hope to citizens, so that politics can once again be an instrument of change and not part of the problem," she concluded.