Democracy Does Not Stop at the Border

Isuf B.Bajrami

If citizens are prevented from exercising their right to move freely or to participate in democratic life because of their political beliefs, then it is not only the Constitution and freedom of movement that are being violated, but also the very foundation of the rule of law, democracy, and the international commitments Albania has undertaken to protect fundamental freedoms.

There are days when history is not written in the offices of misgovernance, but in the streets taken by citizens. There are moments when democracy is not measured by the declarations of those in power, but by how misgovernance treats ordinary people. It is precisely there that it becomes clear whether institutions serve the citizen or are placed in the service of political interest.

Freedom of movement is not a favor granted by misgovernance. It is not a privilege distributed according to the mood of those in power, nor a right that can be restricted whenever misgovernance feels threatened. It is a fundamental right, guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Albania, protected by the European Convention on Human Rights, and by international instruments that democratic states have accepted as a minimum standard of freedom. These are not symbolic documents, but legal boundaries that draw the line between democracy and arbitrariness.

In any democratic system, the border exists to ensure security and order, not to become an instrument of political filtering. It cannot be used by misgovernance to create divisions among citizens or to impose barriers based on beliefs, attitudes, or participation in public life.

Albania and Kosovo are not merely two neighboring states. They are two parts of a shared historical body, connected by language, culture, and common sacrifices. For decades, the discourse has been about bringing people closer and removing barriers. Therefore, any situation that creates the impression of obstructing free movement among Albanians requires full transparency and institutional accountability from misgovernance.

A democracy is not afraid of its citizens. It is misgovernance that is afraid, because free citizens are its moral and political boundary. Those who move, speak, protest, and demand accountability are the clearest proof of a society’s democratic health. When misgovernance begins to see this freedom as a threat, it is not defending order—it is revealing its own weakness.

The principles of proportionality and equality before the law are the foundation of any democratic system. Any restriction of rights must be necessary, justified, and grounded in the public interest. Any deviation from these principles, when coming from misgovernance, undermines public trust and weakens institutional legitimacy.

If delays or increased controls are the result of normal procedures, high traffic, or technical reasons, misgovernance has the duty to clarify this promptly and with full transparency. Silence, ambiguity, or lack of public communication fuels suspicion and deepens the divide between citizens and institutions.

Democracy is not undermined only through major political decisions. It is gradually eroded when citizens begin to feel that their freedoms depend on their political stance. This is the moment when misgovernance replaces law with perception and rights with political discretion.

Democracy is not the rule of the majority, but the limitation of power in the face of individual rights. The Constitution and institutions exist to set boundaries on misgovernance, not to serve it. They are the citizen’s shield, not the instrument of power.

Therefore, any situation affecting fundamental freedoms must be handled with maximum seriousness, transparency, and institutional responsibility. Trust is not built through control, but through respect for the law. And democracy is not measured by the strength of misgovernance, but by the freedom of its citizens.

Because democracy does not begin in the offices of misgovernance and does not end at borders. It lives in the freedom of citizens to move, to speak, and to live without fear of the power that is meant to serve them.

The Land of Leka,04.07.2026