Those protesting against the unpaid wages of the Ballsh oil refinery have asked Parliament not to deal with the Electoral Code, but to meet their demands instead.
“Set aside the Electoral Code, discuss in the session about the oil workers and their problems. We have not been able to get permission to gather due to the pandemic, but the strikes will continue,.” one protestor told the media.
Female oil workers are on the 14th day of hunger strike. They took over from male workers who ended their hunger strike due to deteriorating health after almost three weeks.
The women said they are in a very serious medical condition and have problems with their hearts. They added they cannot afford to eat, or to send their children to university.
Strikers have called on the government to intervene in the situation and to pay arrears and allow them to return to work. Prime Minister Edi Rama has repeatedly said he is not responsible for the actions of a private company and that the strikers should engage in dialogue, not strike.
They have asked Rama to set a date, time, and place for negotiations. Only when this happens, will they end the strike.
“I am saying, set the date, time, and place of the meeting. The moment we get something concrete from the Prime Minister, the strike will end,” they told the media.
Rama has refused to meet with the workers until they end the strike. He tweeted today that the government does not negotiate under pressure and does not accept ultimatums.
“My friends, I am sorry but we will not be able to sit at a table without ending the strike. The government does not negotiate under pressure from anyone and does not accept ultimatums from anyone. End the strike and I will come to you right away. Otherwise there are no talks and I do not have a magic wand.”
The Prime Minister also announced that he is looking for an investor to restart the work at the refinery.
“We are working to find serious investors to restart the refinery, despite the fact your strike doesn’t help.”
