On January 14, 1990, 35 years ago, the youth of Shkodra, supported by thousands of citizens, staged the first anti-communist protest in Albania, aiming to topple Stalin’s bust. The silent protest, planned for days, drew attention from international media such as BBC, RAI, and VOA. The State Security was aware of the gathering and labeled the protesters as “enemy elements.” The protest led to the arrest of ten individuals, who were sentenced to prison for charges of agitation, propaganda, and failure to report a crime.

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