Communism fall celebrations, another political tool

TIRANA, Feb. 20 – Only two days after the opposition anti-government protest tens of thousands of pro-government supporters gathered here peacefully on Sunday to mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the communist regime in Albania.
“The fall of communism is one of Albania’s greatest victories and I call all Albanians to join us in order to make Albania worthy of (membership) in the European Union,” Prime Minister Sali Berisha told his supporters gathered at a central Tirana square.
In a clear show of force, the government called for the gathering, which was followed by a specially organized concert to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the fall of communist dictator Enver Hoxha.
“No one should dare to reverse by violence a democratic state, as the former communists’ sons wanted to do on January 21,” warned Berisha, head of the ruling Democratic party.
Berisha’s forces accuse the Socialist-led opposition of organizing protests to launch a coup and take over power. The first big opposition protest on January 21 saw four demonstrators killed during the rally that turned violent.
The current political crisis is the longest Albania has known since the end of communist rule. Both sides are now under huge international pressure to ensure new rallies do not turn violent.
Supporters of Albania’s ruling Democratic Party attending the rally in the capital’s Mother Teresa Square carried both the Albanian and party flags, voicing their support for Prime Minister Sali Berisha and his embattled government, which faces calls from the opposition to resign over corruption allegations.
“Merry Feb. 20, the day of courage, bravery and freedom! This will remain the day of remembrance of the victims of communism,” Berisha said during his speech.
Berisha sought to associate the Socialists, the main opposition party, with the fallen communist regime, and portray himself and his party as the defenders of freedom.
“You cannot come to power by force,” he said, addressing the opposition.
Four people were shot dead and more than 150 protesters and policemen were injured at the Jan. 21 anti-government protest, organized by the Socialist Party, that demanded that Berisha hold early elections over allegations of corruption and vote rigging in the 2009 general election.
Berisha also delivered a message of unity, calling on his fellow Albanians “to build a European Albania.”
Albania’s communist regime, extraordinarily repressive even by the standards of the other former communist states in Eastern Europe, formally fell in December 1990 when the country declared political pluralism.
The government chose to commemorate an event that took place on Feb. 20, 1991, when people attending a students’ protest toppled the six-meter (20-foot) tall monument to the late communist dictator Enver Hoxha from its pedestal in Tirana’s central Skanderbeg Square. The statue was later destroyed.
“The toppling of the statue would mark the de facto fall of the Hoxha dictatorship,” Berisha said.
At the end of the Prime Minister’s speech firecrackers were thrown in celebration.
Earlier, the rally attendees had observed a minute of silence in memory of the victims of communism.
At the start of the rally, a big screen showed slogans such as “20 years of freedom, 20 years of democracy,” “Albania in NATO” and “Albania without visas”. Western music blared from loudspeakers ahead of local bands’ taking the stage.
Berisha praised Albania’s path from being one of the most dogmatic communist systems in the world to becoming a NATO member.
The peaceful rally, which ended with fireworks, was described by commentators as also being a show of force by the government in the face of repeated protests by the Socialist opposition.
The opposition denounced the show as something exploited to turn the day against them. Their leader Edi Rama repeated a day later that holding further demonstrations was their political play of the day.