POLICE PRESSURE TRIES TO PUSH SOCIALISTS TO THE MARGINS, BUT THE PEOPLE ARE GATHERING MORE AND MORE AROUND THEM
A protest rally in the town of Ersekë. Attended by the chairman of the Socialist Party Fatos Nano and Presidium member Maqo Lakrori
FATOS NANO TO THE PEOPLE OF ERSEKË: “This government, corrupt to the core, instead of solving the agrarian crisis robs and persecutes the small people of Pogon. The voice of the tired people, worn out by the rulers and politicians, the voice of those who seek work and bread, who seek justice and resistance. It is this voice that offers the opportunity to bring them together as free people in their own country. It is this voice that says:
THIS GOVERNMENT MUST RESIGN
Day by day, the economic and social situation of the people of the country has become more severe. New taxes and prices have been imposed on their backs, while even the bread from their mouths has been taken away. Markets are filling up with expensive goods, while citizens’ pockets are emptying. Thousands of peasants have been put at risk by the privatization of land and the lack of means for work. The countryside is being ruined and the cooperatives are being destroyed. In the cities, unemployment is rising every day. In this situation, the people are demanding a solution and accountability.
Yesterday, the town of Ersekë and the surrounding villages became the meeting place of a large protest rally organized by the Socialist Party. Many citizens, workers, peasants, intellectuals, and young people came out to express their dissatisfaction with the government’s policy. The chairman of the Socialist Party, Fatos Nano, as well as presidium member Maqo Lakrori, took part in this rally.
In his speech, Fatos Nano stressed that the country is going through one of its most difficult periods and that the policy pursued by the authorities is deepening the crisis. He said that instead of a policy that supports production, work, and the needy classes, the government is following the path of police pressure, impoverishment, and the exclusion of political opponents. According to him, socialists are trying to defend the interests of ordinary people and provide democratic solutions to the crisis.
He accused the government of arrogance and of trying to push socialists to the margins of political life, but added that the people are gathering more and more around them. Nano said that democracy is not built with violence, pressure, and the use of the police against citizens, but with dialogue, fair elections, and institutions that respect the law.
Other local representatives and citizens also spoke at the rally, denouncing rising prices, the lack of support for agriculture, unemployment, and injustices in the administration. They called on the government to account for unkept promises and for the worsening of the overall situation.
The rally was held in a tense atmosphere but without serious incidents. The presence of the public order forces was felt throughout. The organizers emphasized that the protest was peaceful and aimed to give voice to popular dissatisfaction.
Time will show how far this political confrontation will go, but one thing was clearly seen in Ersekë: the voice of ordinary people is demanding to be heard.