New police officers are sworn in today behind the Ministry of Interior Affairs, while across at the National Theater, a group of artists and activists continues the occupation of the National Theater to protect it from destruction.
The choice of location for the swearing in, where also Prime Minister Edi Rama is expected to speak, can be considered a provocation to the peaceful protestors across the square, which were attacked by the State Police in July 24, after which the permanent occupation of the building started. The protest itself is already one of the longest continuous acts of resistance in Albanian history, going on already for more than a year.
Prime Minister Edi Rama has sworn to “demolish” the building, while the expected winner of the tender to “reconstruct,” Fusha shpk, still has not been announced by the Municipality of Tirana, in violation of all deadlines.
Update
Prime minister Edi Rama eventually did not show up at the ceremony.
