Thewesternbalkans.
According to some Albanian media, including Tirana times, on 8 of May the Albania’s opposition started a national protest in Tirana. The main demand is already political – resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama and his government. The opposition accuses Prime Minister Rama and former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku of using state structures to protect what he called a corrupt government, abuse of power and the systematic weakening of democratic checks and balances.
In this context, the government is accused of controlling almost all constitutional institutions and weakening parliament’s oversight role. The opposition has also raised this concern with the European Union, arguing that Albania’s EU integration process is being administered almost entirely by the ruling majority, without proper inclusion of the opposition, civil society or the wider public. For the opposition, the EU accession cannot be treated as an executive driven process, but must remain a national process based on consensus, parliamentary scrutiny and democratic accountability.
The protest escalated into tensions after police blocked the opposition’s march along the capital’s main boulevard toward the government ministries. In this context, Sali Berisha, leader of the Democratic Party, denounced the police intervention as a violation of the constitutional right to peaceful assembly. At the end of the protest from the Democratic Party headquarters, Berisha thanked citizens who joined the demonstration despite the rain and said the opposition would continue its campaign until Rama and his government leave office.
The protest was marked by repeated confrontations after the march was stopped. The police used water cannon and tear gas, while some protesters responded by throwing Molotov cocktails, fireworks and hard objects.
On the other side, the Police said three officers from the National Security Force were injured after Molotov cocktails, pyrotechnics and other objects. Three protesters were also reportedly detained and taken to a police station.
Journalists and camera operators covering the protest were also affected by the police response.
The protest ended late Friday evening, with Berisha declaring that the opposition would continue its confrontation with the Rama government and would prepare for further political action.
Comments: The EU institutions always are seeing that the inclusion of the opposition in the candidate countries during the Enlargement negotiation process is a must. This position was recently reflected in a letter by David McAllister, Chair of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, addressed to Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos. McAllister asked the European Commission to assess cooperation between the government and the parliamentary opposition in Albania and to explain how the Commission can ensure that the opposition is able to exercise its fundamental rights and fulfill its role as an institution of democratic oversight.
McAllister referred to a letter of Albanian Democratic Party MP Jorida Tabaku. She warned that the Council of Ministers does not regularly inform parliament about the progress of accession negotiations, the use of EU funds or reforms linked to integration. She also argued that draft laws and key documents are not shared in a timely, transparent or inclusive manner.
On the other side we have to assess that some opposition protesters were very well prepared for the event – Molotov cocktails, fireworks and hard objects.
Now we are waiting for reactions of Marta Kos.
