"Albanians have killed fear", Italian media: Rama is no longer untouchable

The largest popular mobilization that Albania has experienced in recent decades continues: the ability to spread through social media and efforts to delegitimize it

By Marzia Baldari,  IL FATTO QUOTIDIANO

"The most important achievement of the protest is what the organizers call the killing of fear. Albanians no longer perceive the power of Prime Minister Edi Rama as untouchable. This psychological change may be the most important consequence of this movement."

For investigative journalist Jessica Tollia, who has been following the Flamingo Revolution demonstrations on the ground for more than a month for the investigative portal Shteg, this is the turning point of the largest popular mobilization that Albania has known in recent decades. More than political demands, according to her, the relationship between citizens and government has changed.

Endrin Hysa, 37, an Italian of Albanian origin, is also convinced of this. He has been living in Italy for years, but when the protests broke out, he decided to join the diaspora and return to Albania to participate in the demonstrations.

"Omerta (silence imposed by fear) has always been one of the greatest evils of this people. For decades, Albanians remained isolated from the world during communism. After its fall, many people ended up passively accepting a deeply corrupt politics," says the 37-year-old.

He then recounts several episodes from his childhood: "When I was a child, I lived in Durrës and we all knew that that multi-story building was built by the mafia, or that bar, or the one next door. For us, the presence of organized crime was normal," Endrini explains.

He then adds: "That's why I always thought that Albania could never change as long as this collective silence continued. When I saw on Instagram thousands of people taking to the streets, I realized that something extraordinary was happening. For the first time, I saw Albanians freed from fear. And I had to be here."

His story also demonstrates another distinctive element of the Flamingo Revolution: its ability to spread through social networks more than through traditional media.

"It's an unconventional protest," explains journalist Tollia. "It relies heavily on social media and uses communication methods typical of younger generations. Anyone with a smartphone and an internet connection can publish a video that can go viral within hours."

For this reason, Tollia notes, the movement has never been dependent on traditional media coverage, whether national or international.

"The protest spread through social media algorithms. And for this very reason, Prime Minister Rama has repeatedly called the algorithm 'guilty'."

According to the Albanian journalist, the prime minister tried to control the narrative from the beginning: "Initially, he tried to minimize the protests. Then, when it became clear that they represented a political reality that could no longer be ignored, he began to look for elements to delegitimize them."

According to her, Rama initially spoke of a "hybrid war".

"He claimed that the movement was influenced by Russian or Iranian interests. When these explanations did not find support in public opinion, he began identifying specific protesters, publishing their names and photos on his social media channels."

Meanwhile, the climate in the squares has become more tense.

There have been clashes and several arrests in recent days. However, one of the most frequently heard cries remains: "The police are with us."

"The use of force cannot be justified by saying that some protesters threw flour or eggs at the deputies' vehicles," says Tollia.

"So far there has been no institutional reaction regarding the violence denounced by some of the arrested. We have seen people already neutralized and lying on the ground being hit with rubber batons."

These episodes of violence, Tollia further explains, were quickly incorporated into the government narrative.

"It was predictable that these episodes would be used to strengthen the government's narrative. And that is exactly what is happening. Some communications experts believe that the Socialist Party is pursuing a coordinated strategy of message discipline and political spin."

However, according to the journalist, the clashes have not weakened support for the protest.

"The national July 4th demonstration, which brought thousands of people to the streets, showed that the protest continues to mobilize citizens just as it did on the first day. The images of parents bringing their children to the protests and letting them draw while sitting on the asphalt are the clearest proof that the majority of participants do not call for violence. They continue to support the movement with the same enthusiasm as at the beginning."

The demands of thousands of protesters remain the same: a profound political change and the resignation of Edi Rama, who at the moment has no intention of leaving office.

"I can't say whether Rama will resign or not," Tollia concludes.

"He himself has repeated several times that this possibility is not part of his plans. What I can say is that this protest will have a significant political cost for him."