TIRANA, June 30 – Prime Minister Edi Rama said citizens have the right to protest. He added that the government will listen to their concerns and use them to improve public policies.

In a Facebook post, Rama distinguished between citizens taking part in demonstrations and political actors. He argued that some political figures seek to use public dissatisfaction for political purposes.

Meanwhile, Rama said protesters raise concerns that reflect real challenges in people’s daily lives. He added that the government intends to channel those concerns into support for Albania’s goal of joining the European Union by 2030.

He also said the government will review the messages from the protests “with attention and humility.” At the same time, he criticized some protest organizers and political figures. He said they seek political advantage from the demonstrations.

Finally, Rama expressed confidence that the governing majority will strengthen its relationship with citizens by responding to their concerns. He added that, in his view, citizens and the country will benefit, while political efforts to capitalize on the protests will not succeed.

/a.p./