Police clash with protesters in Tirana
Police clashed with opposition protesters in Tirana, Albania's capital, using tear gas and water cannons to disperse hundreds of demonstrators who had blocked major roads. The protesters, demanding the replacement of the current government with a technocratic caretaker administration, were met with approximately 1,000 police officers deployed to maintain order.
The demonstrations, part of an ongoing civil disobedience campaign against Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama's government, were led by the Democratic Party and the Freedom Party. Protesters gathered at key intersections from 5 PM local time, chanting anti-government slogans and disrupting traffic.
The opposition, which has been organizing near-weekly protests, is demanding significant changes ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for May 11, 2025. Their demands include electoral reform, improved economic policies, and provisions for diaspora voting.
The political landscape is further complicated by corruption charges against opposition leaders Sali Berisha of the Democratic Party and Ilir Meta of the Freedom Party. Berisha, currently under house arrest for a privatization deal, is also blacklisted by the US and UK. Meta was arrested in October on corruption allegations. Both leaders deny the charges and claim they are politically motivated by Rama's government.
Prime Minister Rama, who has held power since 2013 and is seeking a fourth term, has dismissed the opposition's allegations and accused them of attempting to seize power through violent means. The opposition has increasingly resorted to disruptive tactics, including setting fires and using flares inside the parliament.
As tensions escalate between the ruling Socialists and opposition parties ahead of next year's elections, attempts at negotiation have reached a standstill. Opposition spokesman Tedi Blushi has promised continued protests until their demands are met.
