Italian MEP Ilaria Salis joins protests in Tirana urging EU accession

Italian Member of the European Parliament Ilaria Salis attended a sit‑in in front of Albania’s prime‑ministerial office in Tirana, saying the demonstration showed that “Europe is not in Brussels, Europe is here.” She framed the protest as a “revolution of the flags” and warned that Albania “is not for sale” to oligarchs, speculators or foreign interests.

Salis also highlighted the public’s desire to join the European Union, noting that recent EU Commission data show 92 % of Albanians still strongly support EU membership. Albanian officials present echoed the sentiment, describing the gathering as a legitimate expression of democratic rights.

The statements link the local anti‑corruption rally to broader aspirations for European integration and underscore concerns over foreign economic influence.