Protesters write to Western embassies: 5 non-negotiable demands

An organized group of protesters in Tirana has sent an official letter to the ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions of Western countries accredited in Albania, presenting a platform with five main demands addressed to the government and seeking international support for a solution to the political crisis that they consider deepening.

The document, signed by the "Coordinating Group of the 27 protests held so far in Tirana" as mentioned in the document, qualifies the current situation as a crucial moment for the country's democratic development and emphasizes that the movement represents a peaceful civic mobilization.

At the top of the demands presented is the resignation of the Prime Minister and the current Government, considered by the group as an "essential and non-negotiable" step for, as the letter states, the "democratic renewal" of the country.

As an alternative, the protesters are demanding the creation of a technocratic, non-partisan transitional government with a 12-month mandate. According to the document, this government would be tasked with overseeing a credible and impartial reform process aimed at institutional stabilization and preparing the conditions for a new political phase.

Another important point of the platform is the demand for a profound constitutional reform, which must be based on the principle of equality of citizens before the law and be approved through a popular referendum.

In this context, the group proposes:

• reforming the Electoral Code;
• amending legislation on the financing of political parties and civil society organizations;
• establishing a term limit for the position of Prime Minister to a maximum of two terms, full or partial.

The letter to diplomats also calls for immediate legal intervention to repeal a number of legal acts, including:

• amendments to the Law on Protected Areas;
• amendments to the Law on Cultural Heritage;
• the legal package known as the “Mountains Package”;
• the legal framework for Strategic Investments.

According to the group, these changes should be reviewed as part of a broader process of institutional corrections.

"New social contract"

The final point of the platform envisages the drafting of a “new social contract” between citizens and the state. This, according to the document, should be achieved through broad consultations with independent experts, intellectuals and non-partisan representatives of civil society.

The letter bears the signatures of a group of protest representatives, including: Entela Koja, Arben Kola, Megan Balaj, Edviol Kulluri, Luçjana Kokaj, Gentjan Progni, Gjon Ndoj, Etleva Merko, Everest Bardhi, Përparim Gjeka, Mevlan Mata, Ilir Xhemalaj and Marjen Rama.

According to the document, this initiative constitutes the "first official step" of their organization and comes after 27 days of consecutive protests in the capital.

In conclusion, the group emphasizes that the demands presented represent the will of a peaceful civic movement and calls on the international community to support, according to them, a democratic and inclusive solution to the political situation in Albania./AlbaniaPost