Flagmingo Revolution”, Albania is investigating Iran's involvement in protests

Since the start of the protests, Albania's prime minister, Edi Rama, has cast doubts that even Iran-related interests and influences are behind them.

So far, Rama has publicly labeled two persons for ties to Iran -- a state with which Tirana has cut diplomatic reports in 2022 Ickball Hunt and Dr. Goody.

Hudutin é religious preacher from Kosovo who is known for his standing with Iran and against the United States, Rama accused him of links to the Iranian regime. He even published photographs of her showing up with former Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinehad.

After that, Albanian authorities decided that Hudutit toya stop entering Albania for 15 years, arguing that it constitutes “security threat “.

Well, well, well, well, well, he read the five demands of the protesters, and Rama named it a <x0-Layer of Iran's interests”

Rama also published part of the postings in an account bearing the name and picture of Hefty, who had anti-US and Israeli policies in the Middle East.

In part of the posts there were also tons of support for Iran and Hezbollah group Lebanese militant and political party, which the US considers a terrorist organisation, while the EU has only blacklisted its armed arm.

On Thursday, Mostj was prosecuted by police along with ten other Albanian citizens, under suspicion of “involvement in actions that violate public order and tranquillity”.

Albanian police also said that prettyj and others “are oriented and held the rally in different areas from those officially announced, preventing the free movement of vehicles and citizens”.

Protests in Albania, which are being called “Flagingo Revolution”, initially began as opposition to the project for construction of a resort in Zvrinec, near Vlora. But then demand expanded, including other environmentally friendly, urban development, territory management, and other social and political issues.

What do they say from the executive in Tirana?

From the Albanian government told Radio Free Europe (REL) that cases published so far on suspicion about Iran are based on verified information.

Albania's “prime minister does not speak with speculation, but shares with the public verified information”, the executive media office in Tirana said, stressing that in the field of cyber war, Albania has high capacity for identification and response to the mountain actors.

“Iran is just one of them”, the Albanian government said.

Asked whether other similar decisions are expected on Hudut and if other persons -- participants in the protest -- are being investigated, for allegedly acting in favour of Iranian interests -- by the executive in Tirana said institutions will continue to monitor and take preventive measures against any person or activities that violate the security of the Republic of Albania”.

“National Security and public interest are above any other interest”, said by the Government, adding that in terms of other investigations, “will be assessed step by step on the merits of each issue”.

What do protesters say?

Sidona Vatnikaj, civic activist who has become one of the main voices of protests in Albania, says it is impossible to get information if anyone among the protesters has hidden agendas.

In a conversation for Radio Free Europe, she says this task belongs to Albanian institutions.

“In any case, the attitudes of anyone who gets the microphone to speak in protest or participate does not represent the majority, and most are those who go out every day to protect nature”, she says.

Vatnikaj points out that the majority's positions in the protest are five requirements that have been made public, urging Rama to review them.

What are the demands of the protesters?

The main demand of protesters is the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama and his government. They also seek the creation of a non-party transitional government, with a one-year mandate.

Protesters also seek constitutional changes through the popular referendum, including limiting the prime minister's exercise of office to no more than two mandates.

Among other demands are changing the Electoral Code, changing the law on financing political parties and various organisations, cancelling amendments to the law for protected areas and the Law for Cultural Heritage, as well as abolishing status for strategic investments and the law known as the “Lands Pack”.

Protesters also seek to draft a new social contract between citizens and the state, following consultations with intellectuals, technical experts and non-party citizens proposed by the protest square.

They said they would continue the peaceful protest until their demands are met.

She says it is disturbing to him that Prime Minister Rama deals with specific people who participate in the protests, not the demands that protesters have addressed him.

“If the prime minister has information on specific agendas that appear or benefit from the protest is the task of institutions to investigate them, rather than the prime minister's publishing”, Vatnikaj says.

So far, Albanian police have said they have conducted over 100 proceedings related to the protests. Civil society organisations have called for authorities to offer procedural guarantees to protesters.

Is Albania sensitive to influence from Iran?

Viso Ajazi Lika, who has led Albania's State Intelligence Service in 2012-2017 and represented Albania as NATO ambassador in 2018-2023, says the possibility is that the country is particularly sensitive to Iranian activity due to previous cyber attacks as well as the housing of some 3,000 members of Iran's Mujahedine People's Organisation (MEK) which is an opposition movement in exile against the regime in Tehran.

From experience, even mine, we've had cyber warfare between two countries, revenge from Iran in two ways. They were connected with the MEK group's activities, but they were also with us as their shelter. I remember NATO's mobilization of helping Albania at the time, after it managed to penetrate a lot of government systems and it was a big problem”, he says.

Since 2022, Tirana has accused Tehran of a series of cyber-destructive attacks targeting state digital infrastructure and public services, and these led to the disruption of diplomatic relations between Albania and Iran.

Asked whether there is evidence of Iranian influence in Albania beyond public messages and social networking, the former SUS chief says:

The X0Iran right now is really occupied with huge security problems, a very high level, but it says there's always an arm that works, such as the retaliatory systems. There's probably a risk of revenge, cyber threats, but as far as social media are concerned and what the Iranians have in protest, I wouldn't be so sure. I've got no information.

However, Ajazi Lika says the pro-Iran voices in protests in Albania should be subject to control of law enforcement institutions.

“should be investigated as to what connection these persons have to Iran. If someone brings that propaganda in one way or another, it should be considered for the risk that could bring to national security. But, based on facts or allegations based”, he tells Radio Free Europe.

For him, it is meaningless how in an anti-government protest there should be calls for or irreverent pro or anti-Iran.

But if in the background it turns out that these people are deeply infected with Iran must be subject to monitoring the law enforcement organs, as we know Iran is an authoritarian country with large capabilities in cyber interventions or social networks, they have an army of people working on it, these people should take it seriously”.

Former SISH director says that when it comes to politics that we are dealing with such dangers, that is, influence by Iran, the Government must first forward this information to the major organs: The Assembly and the Presidency.

Another thing to say in public and another to be known by institutions responsible for national security”. Says Ayazi Lika.

Albania's clashes -Iran

Several days after the protests started, initially against investing in Zrinec, Prime Minister Rama accused Iran of involvement in <x0 hybrid war “”, while arguing that it is not a spontaneous civic revolt, but protests prompted by external factors and dezinformity.

In an interview for the American newspaper Politico, he said the dezinformation campaign is linked to false and dangerous narrators, including claims that the project in Zrinec could include the shift of Palestinians from Gaza to Albanian territory.

Rama's statements answered Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, who said authorities in Albania are avoiding citizens' concerns and are trying to shift the debate, accusing Iran of disinformation.

But, Albania and Iran have not only crashed for recent protests. Tensions between the two countries increased since Tirana agreed to host MEK members in 2013, who moved to Albania from Iraq, with US support. Since then, they have been living in a camp near Durres.

Albanian deputies on 17 March of this year adopted a resolution to declare Iran <x0-state sponsor of terrorism” and a state using terrorist means.

In March, Albania's Assembly and Albanian Post were hit by cyber attacks.

The distribution of terrorist ideology in cyberspace is a direct threat to our national security”, Kelly O said. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the Merlynld District.

Both attacks were taken over by Homeland Justice, which according to an analysis by US technology giant Microsoft, is linked to Iranian Government.

Meanwhile, on April 1st, the American Embassy in Tirana warned that Iran-related groups could target subjects linked to the United States or elements of the Iranian opposition in Albania. But Albanian authorities rejected this, calling it “mindary”.

Albania ʹ NATO member state offered support for the US and Israeli war against Iran that erupted on 28 February.

Since then, Washington and Tehran have reached a memorandum of understanding and are currently in the phase of negotiations on a peace agreement aimed at ending the war in the Middle East.