Albanian Opposition MPs Disrupt Parliament Over Handling of Protests
Opposition politicians in Tirana set off smoke bombs and flares during a parliamentary session, accusing Prime Minister Edi Rama of dismissing ongoing antigovernment demonstrations.
Key points
- Opposition lawmakers disrupted a parliamentary session in Tirana with flares and smoke bombs.
- Demonstrations originally sparked by a luxury resort project have evolved into widespread antigovernment protests.
- Prime Minister Edi Rama has refused to resign despite months of unrest and significant public pressure.
Albanian opposition politicians disrupted a parliamentary session on Thursday in the capital, Tirana, setting off flares and smoke bombs while accusing Prime Minister Edi Rama of downplaying widespread antigovernment demonstrations. Sali Berisha, leader of the Democratic Party of Albania, led the lawmakers as they stormed the chamber to show solidarity with protesters demanding the prime minister's resignation. During the session, Berisha and his colleagues unsuccessfully attempted to block a vote concerning a new central bank law.
Addressing the assembly, Berisha launched a fierce verbal attack against the ruling administration. "These [ruling lawmakers] are criminals and they deserve tear gas, rubber bullets, cracked skulls and broken bones, not the young people," Berisha stated. As he spoke, fellow opposition politicians gathered around him, displaying photographs of demonstrators who were allegedly injured by rubber bullets during recent unrest.
The ongoing demonstrations began in May, initially sparked by preliminary approval for a luxury resort project linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of United States President Donald Trump. Over the subsequent months, the student-led movement expanded significantly. Participants have voiced grievances regarding economic stagnation, alleged corruption, high tuition fees, and poor education standards. The unrest represents Albania's largest wave of protests in decades, resulting in hundreds of injuries—including police officers—and numerous attacks on government, banking, and private properties.
Prime Minister Rama, who secured a fourth term last year and has held office for 13 years, has steadfastly refused to step down. In response to the unrest, his administration has introduced contentious penalties, including fines exceeding $6,000 for individuals attending violent demonstrations, regardless of whether they personally engaged in violent acts. This penalty amounts to six times the national average monthly salary of approximately $1,000.
Concurrently, the government has attempted to appease the public through targeted concessions. According to the public broadcaster Radio Televizioni Shqiptar, Rama announced measures such as increased monthly scholarship stipends for students from low-income families, expanded scholarship eligibility for master's degree students, and subsidised rental options for young scholars.