Former Member of Parliament and former Foreign Minister Arta Dade has rejected an invitation from Socialist Party leader and Prime Minister Edi Rama to attend today’s event marking the 35th anniversary of the Socialist Party, scheduled to take place at Italy Square in Tirana.
Dade publicly opposed the event, criticizing both the current state of the Socialist Party and what she described as a “counter-rally” organized from above. According to her, the true socialists are not attending official celebrations but are instead standing in the square where young people have been protesting for 13 consecutive days in support of dignity, social rights, and justice.
In a statement to the newspaper Dita, Dade argued that the Socialist Party has never historically been a party of organized counter-protests, but rather a political force born as an “avant-garde of change” that played a leading role during important moments in Albania’s modern history.
She strongly criticized the party’s current direction, describing it as a distortion of its original identity and accusing it of corruption, clientelism, and the arrogance of power. Dade emphasized that the youth-led protests are not directed against left-wing values but instead represent demands for equality, social justice, and opportunities for ordinary citizens.
According to Dade, the protests reflect a call to restore the principles upon which the Albanian left was founded.
She also criticized former Socialist Party officials who have chosen to participate in what she calls the “counter-rally,” arguing that they are motivated by personal interests rather than political principles.
Concluding her statement, Dade called for a renewed Albanian left built on morality, integrity, and closeness to citizens, stressing that “the time for this return has arrived.”
Key Excerpts from Arta Dade’s Statement
“Today, the true socialists, those who grew up with the ideals of social justice, are not attending the counter-rally called from above. They are where the spirit of the left has always been — in the square where young people have been protesting for dignity for 13 days.”
“The Socialist Party was never the party of demonstrations organized through pressure and administration. It was born as an avant-garde of change and once stood at the forefront of every major historical turning point in the country.”
“The square Mr. Rama is trying to fill today does not represent the party’s history, but rather its transformation.”
“Albania today needs a left reborn on its founding ideals. It needs a political movement with morality, integrity, and its eyes on the people, not on power and personal gain.”
“The hour of that return has arrived.”
