The protest against the government and Prime Minister Edi Rama enters its 117th day today, while citizens have announced a day with two rallies in the capital.
Unlike usual protest days, this Thursday citizens will initially gather at 09:30 in front of the Albanian Parliament, on the same day when MPs will hold the plenary session.
Protesters have been warning for days that the Assembly sessions will be accompanied by morning rallies, moving the protest from the Prime Minister's Office to Parliament for several hours. Earlier, one of the activists had announced that September 10, 17 and 24, which coincide with the days of the plenary sessions, would be accompanied by citizen mobilization during the morning.
In the afternoon, citizens are expected to return to the scenario followed for months, gathering in "Skënderbej" Square and then marching along "Dëshmorët e Kombit" Boulevard towards the Prime Minister's Office.
Even the day before, in the 116th protest, citizens first gathered at "Skënderbej" Square and then marched towards the government building, where they continued with speeches and calls against the executive.
The protesters' main demand remains the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama and the removal of the government. The platform articulated during the protests also calls for the creation of a transitional government with a 12-month mandate, which, according to organizers, should prepare the country for the upcoming elections.
During the rallies in recent days, calls for Rama's resignation have been repeated, while protesters have raised accusations of corruption and used banners related to the latest political developments and cases under investigation by the judiciary.
The protest has been going on for months and has been taking place every day in Tirana. Throughout it, the main scenario has been the gathering in Skanderbeg Square, the march towards the Prime Minister's Office and then the speeches of citizens and activists in front of the government building. On some of the days the protest has also spread to other streets of the capital.
This Thursday, however, the 117th day will begin in the morning. At 09:30, protesters are expected to be in front of the Parliament, while in the afternoon they will return to Skanderbeg Square to continue the usual march towards the Prime Minister's Office.
