Oct 3, 2024 — Scenes of violence erupted outside the Albanian parliament today as opposition lawmakers clashed with security guards. The altercation stemmed from a prior ban imposed on the opposition following a chaotic session on Monday, where lawmakers set fire to chairs in protest.
Democrat MPs attempted to breach the parliamentary gates, aiming to disrupt proceedings further. However, they were met with resistance from security personnel, leading to confrontations. Unable to gain access, the opposition regrouped outside, where they burned effigies of Prime Minister Edi Rama and former Interior Minister Fatmir Xhafaj, symbolizing their defiance against the current government.
The unrest follows the imprisonment of senior Democrat official Ervin Salianji, who received a one-year sentence for filing a false police report that implicated Xhafaj’s brother in drug trafficking. Investigations later revealed that the audio evidence Salianji presented was fabricated.
In light of these events, the opposition has announced plans for a significant protest scheduled for Monday in Tirana, targeting Rama’s socialist administration and its handling of governance issues.
