Albania celebrates birth of pluralism, political freedom

TIRANA, Dec 8 – It was the students whose rally 18 years ago obliged the then-communist regime, headed by the last president Ramiz Alia, to declare political pluralism in the country, thus opening the way to the creation of new political parties.
That event was celebrated Monday, now called Youth Day.
However, the Democratic Party, created days after the pluralism declaration, often attempts to take credit for the students’ protest that toppled the communist regime.
But there were many activities to celebrate the event on Monday and from other organizations other than the Democrats.
The celebration also served for Prime Minister Sali Berisha of the Democratic Party to inch closer to formally declare the opening of the electoral campaign for next year’s general elections.
Berisha exchanged an ironic replica with the main opposition Socialist Party leader Edi Rama, also a former participants in the students’ protest.
Berisha said that the students did not accept Rama to become a Democratic Party member due to his links with former communist politburo members.
While Rama, for his part, remembered that Berisha was also a communist party senior leader and close to the high party ranks.