Following the win of the Socialist party, granting Prime Minister Edi Rama his third consecutive mandate, he called on supporters to gather at 6 pm yesterday in Skanderbeg Square, central Tirana.
Throngs of supporters gathered to listen to his victory speech and to cheer on the win of the party.
“This is the most difficult, but also the largest and most beautiful victory of the Socialist Party of Albania. Despite the bewildering number of invalid ballots, we broke our record. This is a historic record of this team of ordinary people that achieved extraordinary things”, Rama said.
“I am proud more than ever for Albanians, that through their wisdom and decisiveness overcame a major personality test in such a challenging moment for Albania”, Rama said. “The victory is all yours”, he told the crowd.
Rama also gave a message to the opposition, calling on Democratic Party Leader Lulzim Basha to accept the results.
“My sincerest message for Basha is this: admit to the defeat with dignity and conviction that you couldn’t do what you wanted, but you did what you could. With or without Basha, our only opposition is the DP and our major victory doesn’t make us smaller, but instead, it makes us so great that we extend our hand for a sincere and free of prejudice collaboration with the DP. I want to be Prime Minister of all Albanians, not only of the Socialists but of the Democrats, too”, said Rama.
Rama called the meeting yesterday, despite a ban on gatherings being in place since March 2020. Gatherings of more than 10 people can result in fines of over EUR 4000. During the electoral campaign, an independent candidate in Dibra, Elton Debreshi received such a fine despite all the other parties holding regular rallies and events while not respecting protocols.
It is also required that masks are worn at all times in public.
A journalist at Citizens Channel reported the gathering to the police, quoting the exact provisions of the law to the operator but they hung up on her.
The PD also held a press conference last night whereby no one appeared with masks and the crowd was more than 10.
