Opposition Protesters Attack State Buildings in Albania
Opposition protests in Albany
July 12, 2024 Hour: 7:46 pm
Protesters demand the release of opposition leader Sali Berisha, under house arrest and investigated for corruption during his tenure as prime minister in 2005-2013.
Opposition protesters threw Molotov cocktails at Albania’s central government building and mayor’s office late Thursday, accusing Prime Minister Edi Rama of corruption and demanding his resignation.
Related:
Leader of Sudanese Opposition: Warlords Have Lied to the People
Thousands of opposition supporters gathered in front of Rama’s office and later in the office of the mayor of Tirana (capital), also of the Socialist Party of Rama.
In principle, the police did not intervene, but put out the fires caused by the Molotov cocktails, which would have endangered some officers, according to the latter. No immediate news of casualties.
The protesters focused on the release of opposition leader Sali Berisha, under house arrest and investigated for alleged corruption during his tenure as prime minister between 2005 and 2013. Police reported on Friday that an arrest warrant was issued for eight people suspected of throwing more than 25 Molotov cocktails into the Government building.
Berisha has denied having committed any crime and has accused Rama of political revenge to silence his opponents. Rama has made no comment, but has repeatedly denied this accusation.
Prosecutors have not yet decided whether to file formal charges against Berisha: «Albania is the only country in Europe with its opposition leader under political arrest without any facts, evidence or documents», Berisha said via video link from his house arrest.
Berisha has called his supporters to civil disobedience to force the government to call early elections.
Last April, similar protests took place in several parts of the Albanian capital, resulting in several arrests and street violence.
Autor: OSG
Fuente: EFE