Albanian solidarity loses its meaning when it is guided by political loyalty instead of a consistent defense of freedom, dignity and fundamental rights, Albanian-American commentator Frank Shkreli argues in a new opinion essay.
Writing for Dielli, Shkreli draws a parallel between support for Albania’s former communist regime and what he describes as today’s selective or symbolic response to alleged injustices against students and other citizens protesting in Albania.
His central argument is that patriotism should never become a tool for protecting a government from legitimate public criticism.
Albanian Solidarity and Democracy Require Equal Standards
Shkreli recalls that during Enver Hoxha’s communist dictatorship, thousands of Albanians were imprisoned, executed, exiled or persecuted because of their political, religious or intellectual beliefs.
Despite that repression, he writes, some Albanians inside the country and abroad continued to support the regime because of propaganda, ideology, political interests or limited access to reliable information.
According to Shkreli, this historical experience should serve as a warning for the present.
He questions why Albanian communities often mobilize quickly when Albanians face injustice from foreign governments but become divided or silent when similar concerns involve authorities in Albania or Kosovo.
Solidarity, he argues, does not require support for every protest, slogan or political demand. It requires defending the right of citizens to protest, criticize their government and demand accountability without fear of violence or punishment.
Diaspora Urged to Defend the Right to Protest
Shkreli places particular responsibility on the Albanian diaspora in the United States and Europe, where citizens enjoy broad democratic rights and freedom of expression.
He notes that the Albanian-American anti-communist diaspora has a long history of opposing dictatorship, supporting Kosovo and advocating for the rights of Albanians across the Balkans.
That legacy, he argues, should not remain only a memory of past activism.
The diaspora should apply the same democratic standards when responding to developments in Albania and Kosovo, regardless of which political party is in power.
Shkreli concludes that national unity is demonstrated not only by opposing external injustice but also by refusing to defend wrongdoing committed by one’s own institutions. True Albanian solidarity, he writes, must begin with the citizen and the right to challenge those in power.
