Last night the capital was rocked by protests by factions of the opposition led by Gazment Bardhi, Flamur Noka from part of the Democratic Party, and Ilir Meta from PL.
The protests lasted over four hours and took place throughout the cnetre of the city including outside the Prime minister’s office, the interior ministry, parliament, the ruling socialist party headquarters, and around Skanderbeg Square.
Protestors demonstrated but also threw molotov cocktails and various objects at institutions and police officers, and set fire to bins and bus stops.
According to police reports, some 10 police officers and three protestorsm including several minors were injured in scuffles and clashes and tear gas was used to disperse some crowds. In addition, one person was arrested and a number were declared wanted. Interior Minister Ervin Hoxha reacted by saying some had crossed the limits of the law and had endangered public safety.
The reason for the protests was a call for the resignation of PM Edi Rama who they accuse of corruption and creating an authoritarian state.. The centre-right opposition want Rama to step down and a caretaker government to take over until the 2025 general elections.
Meanwhile Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha was not in attendance as he remains on house arrest on charges of passive corruption. He said thte protests were “the battle of our lives”.
The protests come a week after opposition party officials set fire to chairs on the steps of parliament after hurling objects and verbal insults at socialist party member and parliamentary speaker elisa spiropali. That was over the imprisonment of MP Ervin Saljiani for giving false testimony in a drug trafficking case aginst the broher of former interior minister Fatmir Xhafaj.
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