If someone were to write the history of this protest in a few years, they probably wouldn’t be able to understand it from political statements alone because the protesters are speaking in memes.
“Blessed be the drop that filled the cup” is perhaps the shortest summary of the anger accumulated over the years. A sentence that sounds like a congratulatory message, but is actually an indictment of governance and politics.
“Until death do us part” with the country’s political couple is another blow that needs no analysis. It is enough to see and you understand the blockage of the circulation of the elites in the country and not only the political elites.
Then comes the question that many have asked in a low voice and one protester turned into a banner: “Oh Bela, will you put a villa in my name?” An elegant way to remember that in Albania the greatest fantasy is not to become a millionaire, but to wake up one day and discover that you have a villa registered without knowing it.
Equally poignant is the banner: “Sell Zeqinë if you want, not Zvërnec.” A sentence that translates the quality of the young people in Parliament with those in the square. An accusation of the lack of meritocracy in the ruling party.
While “We’re selling Edi Rama, even though we know he won’t make a penny” elevates satire to the level of the free market. It’s probably the most honest economic statement of the week.
And finally comes the banner that could be a candidate for a movie script: “Just resign, or Ndrenika will go to prison.” A sentence that unites Albanian politics, theater, and humor in just a few words.
This is one of the reasons why the protest is attracting attention, not only because of the numbers, but because it has found a language that the younger generations understand and share. Instead of Molotov cocktails, there are memes. Instead of tired slogans, there is humor. Instead of hatred, there is irony. And perhaps this is the biggest concern for the government. Because you can protect yourself from a stone by satire, almost never. And history shows us that when you become a joke, things have reached a point where you can no longer hold back..:
© BalkansWeb