Ornela Liperi | Monitor

Tirana has not been quiet since June 1. An incident in Zvërnec, where a large resort is planned to be built, involving the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, sparked a protest that, for the first time in a long time, attracted especially young people and then found massive support.

Time would tell if the incident was just the spark that lit the fuse of anger, which seemed to have been accumulating for a long time about the way the country was being governed.

To understand the reasons that prompted many to protest, "Monitor" organized a survey on its website, through the ERC platform ("Engaged Citizens Reporting" is a secure digital platform developed to narrow the gap between the media and the public).

The survey remained open for 5 days and was completed by 1114 citizens, reaching the highest level of engagement on this platform since “Monitor” began using it. Previously, the survey with the most interest had been the one on immigration with 1044 completions, showing that such topics are sensitive for “Monitor”’s audience.

We emphasize that this is not a representative sample of the Albanian population. Participants were not randomly selected and responses were given voluntarily, which means that people who have a stronger interest or stance on the topic are more likely to participate in the survey. Furthermore, the “Monitor” audience consists mainly of economists, freelancers, entrepreneurs, banking, information technology and other urban and educated profiles, so the results cannot be generalized to the entire population.

However, the survey has value as a measurement of the perceptions of an active and engaged segment of the public, dominated by those with university and postgraduate education "who seek to be represented."

It helps to identify the reasons that motivate support or opposition to the protests, the concerns that are most frequently repeated, and the intensity with which these issues are experienced by the Monitor audience.

The results should not be read as an electoral projection, or as a statistical reflection of the entire society, but as a clear signal of the climate of opinion within a group with a high interest in economic, social and political developments.

Middle class perception

The survey is valuable as a measure of the perceptions of an active and engaged segment of the public, dominated by those with university and postgraduate education. It helps to identify the reasons that motivate support or opposition to the protests, the concerns that are most frequently repeated, and the intensity with which these issues are experienced by the “Monitor” audience. The clear support that this segment and the 30-59 age group give to the protest, shows that it is precisely the working-age population group that contributes to the state’s finances that is dissatisfied.

The survey data shows that the reasons for supporting the protest go beyond economic ones and are related to concern about the way the country is being governed.

Corruption was chosen by respondents as the main reason for voting “Yes” in support of the protests, chosen by 722 people (respondents could choose up to 3 alternatives). The second reason is related to misgovernance and lack of accountability, with 530 responses, followed by lack of justice and impunity for abusers, with 342 responses.

The fourth most chosen reason is the protection of public interest (education, health, environment, public spaces). The lack of perspective for the future is the fifth argument. Poverty and rising prices are the sixth argument, which pushes respondents to support the protests.

"We protest for the thousands of problems this country has. For the poverty that has been sitting cross-legged. For the hospitals that have no service. For the lack of justice. For the destruction of education."

"For the natural resources that are being destroyed. For the rivers that are drying up. For work in the administration that you just have to pay even if you are capable, otherwise no one will consider you," says AA, a commentator.

"There is no meritocracy. There is no control over the use of funds. There is no questionnaire on services, the government does not take into account the opinion of the people," says ET

16.9% of respondents claim that the protests should continue, but with clear demands, and 79% responded that the protests should continue. Combining these two categories, the vast majority of respondents are convinced that the protests should continue, with 95.9% of them expressing their support.

Only 3.7% say the protests should not continue./ Monitor.al