Thousands of young Albanians took to the streets on National Youth Day to mark the 1990 student protests that ended the communist regime.
President Bajram Begaj paid tribute to the courage of those students, calling their actions the spark for Albania’s democratic future. “Their fight changed our nation forever,” he said.
The Democratic Party Youth Forum led the march from Student City, chanting slogans like “We were born in democracy, we live in dictatorship.” Protesters demanded urgent electoral reforms, with many worried that Albania’s democracy is under threat.
Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha reminded the crowd of the sacrifices made by the 1990 protesters. “They gave us the right to hope again,” he said.
34 years on, the legacy of the protests still fuels demands for accountability and change.
