Internal Dispute Emerges Over Albania Protest Movement's Proposed Citizens' Assembly

Plans to establish a National Citizens' Assembly as part of an ongoing protest movement in Albania have sparked internal disagreements among organizers and supporters, with participants raising concerns over transparency and representation.

According to public statements, a working group approved the assembly's platform and membership criteria after a lengthy meeting, saying the decisions were reached by consensus. However, messages exchanged in a WhatsApp group involving hundreds of participants reveal growing tensions over the legitimacy of the initiative's leadership structure.

Several participants questioned how the working group was formed, asking who selected its members and what criteria were used to claim representation of the broader protest movement. Supporters of the initiative responded that the working group serves only a preparatory role and that the assembly itself has not yet been formally established, stressing that participation has been open to anyone interested.

The debate has continued with some members urging the group to remain focused on the protest's objectives, while others argue that any representative body must be created through a fully transparent process with clearly defined rules.

The internal discussions also referenced activist Edviol Kulluri as one of the initiators of the proposal. Kulluri has previously been at the center of public controversy related to the protest following statements and allegations made about him by political figures.