The protest clashes Rama with the world media, the risk of an image crisis!

“Democracy and freedom are more than values ​​to be cherished; they may be the very condition for our survival.”

This is how one of the most influential American linguists and thinkers of the 20th and 21st centuries, Noam Chomsky, would describe what has been happening in the square for 8 days, where thousands of protesters seem to have realized after 13 years of power that democracy and freedom have been in danger during Rama's government!

But what is extremely interesting is that for years, Prime Minister Rama's government has invested in building a positive image of Albania in the international arena and has dominated the media rhetoric in the country!

Every year, in dozens of interviews in the world's most prestigious media, promoting tourism, investments and reforms, Prime Minister Rama has aimed to present a developing country and a government with absolute popular support. Many times at international summits he has appeared with his provocative style in clothing or behavior, labeling him as an "avant-garde" leader.

But the protests of recent days seem to be testing this image. This was clearly highlighted by his direct clash with prestigious world media.

One of the most commented moments was the prime minister's interview with CNN journalist Isa Soares. Her questions about the protests and the dissatisfaction shown in the streets put Rama in front of a different discussion than what the government usually promoted. This time the focus was not on tourism or investments, but the attention turned entirely to the protests, corruption and citizens' perception of governance.

Prime Minister Rama was criticized for his arrogant behavior towards the journalist, sometimes in inappropriate tones, even though the journalist was completely correct and ethical towards him!

"Let me finish!" became Mr. Rama's refrain, putting him in some difficulty in an interview where accountability, not propaganda, was the focus.

Meanwhile, the protest has entered its ninth day, showing a persistence that contradicts the government's claims that it is an isolated minority.

One of the debates of recent days is related to the number of protesters. The Prime Minister and representatives of the majority have constantly minimized the participation, while the footage published by various media and by the citizens themselves showed the opposite. In fact, it seems that their number is constantly increasing.

During this week, conspiracy theories have also been present, with one of the most commented episodes being the statement of Minister Taulant Balla regarding the technical vehicle of the Reuters media agency. The vehicle was initially presented as a “Serbian car” and linked to destabilizing “agencies”. Before the news could be clarified or confirmed, it was massively distributed in the media and online networks!

Just a few hours later, journalist Gjergj Erebara said that the vehicles were used by one of the world's largest news agencies. The episode was subsequently criticized and interpreted as an attempt to delegitimize international reporting on the protests.

The alarm in the government was raised when the protest became international news in almost all the world's media, so Prime Minister Edi Rama sent a letter to several international media outlets and organizations, objecting to the way developments in Albania were being covered. In parallel, he accused CNN of creating a distorted perception of what was happening in the country through social media algorithms and content distribution mechanisms!

The international attention to the protest has not only come from CNN. The developments have been covered by well-known international agencies and media such as Reuters, Associated Press, Euronews, Deutsche Welle and other regional and European media that have reported on the protest!

The fact that the protest has managed to penetrate the agenda of foreign media poses a particular challenge for the government, which for years has invested in promoting Albania as a political, economic and tourist success story. The prime minister has repeatedly chosen to publish posts on social media that focus on the waste left behind in Zvërnec.

Another episode that has attracted attention is the one with journalist Mustafa Nano. During the public debate, Rama chose to refer to his role as ambassador, personally confessing that he had been proposed the ambassadorial position in his office.

In both cases, the episodes show how the country operates, that is, amicably and not institutionally, while cleaning protected areas is also the government's duty!

For the first time in a long time, the government is facing not only continuous protests, but also critical international reporting, bringing perhaps the most difficult moment for Edi Rama, which is not only related to the protest itself, but to the risk of the propaganda mechanism he has created over the years, both at home and abroad, breaking down!/acqj.al