Albanian citizens have been protesting for over seven days over price increases of food, fuel, and energy. The government, however, has called them a national shame and accused them of their protests serving Russia and the Kremlin.
The national statistic institution, INSTAT, found that the cost of 30 essential food items increased by 40% from January 2022, including meat, dairy products, cooking oils, and fruit and vegetables. The fuel cost has increased by 40%, and some are struggling to pay increased energy bills.
One of the organisers, scholar, journalist and activist Rezarta Caushaj told Exit, “I am in no way supported, influenced or linked to Russia or anyone linked to Russia. I do not support the Russian invasion, or any other country’s, invasion.”
The protests that have taken place across the country have brought together students, farmers, activists, and regular citizens in some of the largest non-partisan demonstrations in recent years. The protestors say that the increased cost of food items as well as fuel and electricity is too much for one of Europe’s poorest nations, where a third live below the poverty line.
While the government has taken some steps to protect society’s most vulnerable, protestors argue that the increases in costs are so high that even those who previously were not at risk of poverty are now facing decisions such as feeding their families or keeping their homes warm.
Prime Minister Edi Rama has nurtured rhetoric that protestors are protesting against the consequences of the war in Ukraine. This has further developed into claims that protestors are being paid to protest, are militants, and are “serving Putin”.
At one point, Rama even claimed just one day before the EU’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell arrived in Tirana that a “Brussels official” told him that those protesting were helping the cause of Russia and asked, “who is organising them?”.
Exit asked the Commission whether they supported the protest or thought that citizens were bolstering Moscow. No response was received at the time of publication.
Protestors believe the government’s deflection comes from their other complaints; Albanian politicians are allowing market manipulation at the behest of powerful oligarchs and are involved in corruption and financial crimes.
Indeed, according to several different reports, including Transparency International, Albania is considered at significant risk of state capture and undue influence of the business elite.
Struggling to make ends meet Caushaj added that her motivation for organising protests comes from the fear that her family will struggle to make ends meet.
“As a person whose family is dependent on two wages that will soon lose their value, I felt insecure enough about the future to react,” she explained, adding that her extended family, including pensioners and those with disabilities, are in an even more precarious situation.”
Exit also approached Organizata Politike, a left-wing civil society movement involved in organising the protests. On the topic of Russian influence or sympathy for Moscow, they stated, “we categorically condemn the invasion of Ukraine by Vladimir Putin, and we stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian people who fight for their freedom.”
As for their motivation, they explained they believe the most obvious way of expressing malcontent and fighting back against repression is through protesting.
“This is the only hope for challenging the consolidated ruling elite in cahoots with a few oligarchs,” they said.
When it comes to rising prices, they said that a 40% increase in fuel prices equivalent to 20% of an Albanian daily income is unacceptable.
“It is a speculative manoeuvre by Edi Rama and the oligarchs who control the fuel industry in Albania. This has caused a general increase in the prices of the basket of goods, something which we consider as criminal in a country where 1/3 of the population lives below the poverty line, with the lowest minimum wage in the region,” a spokesperson explained.
They criticised the government for a continued “inadequate response” to the 2019 earthquake that killed 51 people, the COVID-19 pandemic, and now the consequences of war.
“The general feeling of frustration in Albania comes from many years of being robbed of public resources for the profit of a few individuals, as well as a general incompetence from the government in managing the crises. At last, the people are reacting,” they added.
Exit also contacted Arben Kola, a tour guide and activist who was recently detained for three days for protesting.
When asked about the claims of Russian influence on the protest, he simply said, “Rama is the one that is indirectly supporting Russia through Open Balkan and his relationship with Vucic”.
He refers to the Open Balkan initiative comprising Albania, Serbia, and North Macedonia that foresees free trade and travel in the involved countries.
His faction of protestors believe that Albanian society and its members need the maximum government support and that their failure to do this is leading to increased poverty and high rates of emigration.
