Gresa Hasa

Mass protests in #Albania followed corruption allegations that deepened public distrust.

In this interview, Gresa Hasa explains why no political force commands enough trust to unite popular demands for accountability and reform.

Read more: web.civicus.org/Gresa-Hasa
#CIVICUSLens

ALBANIA: ‘Corruption is a serious problem, but no political force commands enough public trust to unite demands’ CIVICUS discusses recent anti-corruption protests in Albania with Gresa Hasa, a doctoral researcher at the University of Graz and co-founder of the feminist magazine Shota.

In my interview with @civicusalliance.bsky.social, I discuss the so-called anti-corruption protests in #Albania, the actors behind them, why they have sparked controversy, and what sets them apart from other anti-corruption protests in the #WB6. 👇🏻

Thus, the face of this performative anti-corruption rage is a defeated criminal, back on the streets right after serving time on corruption charges himself.

This is not about democracy or the rule of law, but about negotiating power. Berisha and everyone else playing his game aim to project political relevance while being politically irrelevant.

Behind all the molotov cocktails and violence stands a cartel-party desperate to weaponize outrage against corruption while being one of its most notorious symbols.

The Democratic Party of #Albania continues to hijack and co-opt genuine political causes, alienating citizens and most members of civil society, except for those who find tactical cooperation with it temporarily useful for their own narrow political interests.

I gave a long interview about this topic that will be published soon, but all you need to know about the current anti-corruption protests in 🇦🇱 is that they are largely performative & an attempt of the opposition led by former Prime Minister Sali Berisha to launder his legitimacy and return to power.

…entangled in such a network. This does not call for moralizing or merely judging the perversity of these abusive transnational elites; it demands political organizing and the dismantling of the core structures that allow such power to operate with impunity.

What the Epstein files reveal is the depth and scale of this criminal enterprise on an international level, spread like a virus across borders, reaching even peripheral countries like the ones in the Balkans or Central Europe, and public figures one would never have imagined being…

Slovak PM’s top adviser resigns over Epstein files Miroslav Lajčák denies being aware of any wrongdoing.

Just a reminder of how spread and deep this evil is. May they all be exposed and rot in jail!

Not all heroes wear capes… Wait, what?! 😎

He looks like he gets outfit inspiration from Göbbels. 👀

My latest article for @biepag.bsky.social looks into the 56th World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland, and the challenges of small countries in the WB6 in navigating power and diplomacy in an era of unstable alliances.

I invite you to take a look! 👇🏻

This is the most dreadful nonsense I've read all week what is the matter with these joyless cunts

Please, friends. Look on the bright side. And observe how dark it’s getting. 😌

What is your stance when starvation is used as a weapon of war, when entire communities are terrorized, and when they are subjected to relentless bombardment?

Never Again is not merely a phrase; it is an uncompromising commitment and a responsibility.

What do you do when the Prime Minister of your country shakes hands with a war criminal wanted for genocide and crimes against humanity against innocent civilians?

I want to believe that, as a people, we have not lost this moral compass, and that we possess the maturity to honor history’s lessons with integrity. There is no need for the hypothetical question, “What would I have done back then?” The real question is: what are you doing right now?

Almost all Jews living within Albania’s borders during the Nazi-German occupation were sheltered and saved by the local population. Albanian citizens risked their lives to protect the “other.” By the end of World War II, there were more Jews in #Albania than there had been before the war.

Black-and-white photo of the Auschwitz-Birkenau entrance gate in winter, with the words “Arbeit macht frei” above the open gates. In the bottom left, gold text reads “International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2026,” and the EU flag appears in the bottom right.

Today, we remember all the victims murdered during the Holocaust, and we stand with those who survived.

We also mark the 81st anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau.

This dark memory must be passed to future generations.

Never again.

YouTube video by Rai Sami Modiano: “La mia missione è ricordare, non mi fermerò" - In mezz'ora 28/01/2024

Sami Modiano, sopravvissuto alla Shoah, racconta la sua storia e la sua missione. ❤️‍🩹

To call this shameful does not even begin to capture the gravity of the situation.

Together with his wife, Rama is socializing with alleged war criminals, escorted by IDF soldiers, who probably, before standing next to him, have participated in the killing or torture of who knows how many innocent Palestinian civilians.

Instead, Edi Rama is visiting Netanyahu in Jerusalem, accepting his invitation to speak in the Knesset.

If Benjamin Netanyahu were to enter the territory of the Republic of Albania, Albania would be legally obliged to arrest him and surrender him to the ICC.

Thus, #Albania is legally bound to fully cooperate with the ICC which means that it formally recognizes the jurisdiction of the ICC over war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity of which Israel’s Prime Minister is currently accused, and for which an ICC arrest warrant has been issued.

NOT IN MY NAME! ❌

In 1998, Albania signed the Rome Statute (the founding treaty of the International Criminal Court), and in 2003 it officially ratified it.

Balkan Kinoscope: Bridging Past and Present Balkan Kinoscope: Bridging Past and Present Through Reclaimed Gaze by Gresa Hasa. January month topic: The politics of absence

This is an article I enjoyed writing about the 🇪🇸 cultural magazine A-DESK on feminist Balkan cinematography and women filmmakers. I particularly focused on feminist film production in 🇽🇰, 🇧🇦, 🇷🇸, and 🇦🇱. You can access my full article in English, Spanish and Catalan here: a-desk.org/en/magazine/...

The problem is not merely Trump. Trump is a symptom: a predictable outcome of a system that cannibalizes its own democratic institutions to maintain capital accumulation.