Why Berisha's protest risks to unfold in stages

1 Dhjetor 2022, 00:36Op-Ed Mero Baze

Sali Berisha is trying to “victimize” himself by claiming that the city and state police have refused to give permission for his upcoming protest on December 6th. Most headlines by media outlets tied to Sali Berisha have also claimed that the protest has been denied permission.

In actuality, the protest’s permission has not been denied. Neither the city, nor state police have rejected Berisha’s request to organize the protest. They have simply clarified that the perimeter security, which has been consulted with the international security forces expected to be in Tirana on December 6th, will include a specific area. In other words, the authorities have simply explained to Berisha where he can hold his protest, without ever rejecting his request. Therefore, his continuous claim that the state police have refused to permit the protest, is perhaps the only consolation that he has until the day of the protest.

On the other hand, the permit given by the police and Berisha’s attempt to keep the location of the protest secret will create a new issue for him and the opposition. As it has become obvious now, he does not organize spontaneous protests, but pretty expensive ones that can reach the cost of 1 million Euros. The staging, the audio system, broadcasting and banning all other media from filming the protest, can be and are extremely expensive.

Sali Berisha’s protests have a specific staging and centralized broadcasting, for which he would need to begin working on December 5th. Therefore, his refusal to declare the location of the protest is a warning sign that the protest might not be held at all. His boastful statements that the crowd will break the security perimeter, not only make him sound ridiculous, but are a clear sign that the protest will not happen at all.

Naturally, the state police have provided him with plenty of options where the protest can be organized. However, if he agrees to hold the protest in one of the proposed locations, it would mean surrendering to the government and if not, he would have to break the security perimeter with all the audio-visual and broadcasting systems on December 6th, which is impossible. The only plausible scenario would be for Berisha to launch his battle the day before, while trying to build the stage and everything that his protest requires. Once this fails due to security reasons, he would then be able to hold only a modest protest on December 6th.  But, this would break the protest into two different stages. On December 5th, Berisha and his group would fight with the police, while the real protest would be held the day after. This would also make it easier for him to justify the lack of participants during the protest on December 6th.

If this is the case, then the EU leaders meeting that day in Tirana would have no reason for concern, while Berisha will have another excuse for his failure to topple Edi Rama’s government once again.

 

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