Albanian MPs Light Flares in Parliament as Protests Continue

Tirana (GNP): Opposition lawmakers set off smoke bombs and flares during a session of Albania’s parliament on Thursday, accusing Prime Minister Edi Rama of downplaying the antigovernmental protests that have gripped the capital.

They tried to disrupt a regular vote that Rama also attended. They banged on desks and threw objects, including water bottles, at the prime minister. Gathered at the podium, they chanted “Rama resign!” and held pictures of protesters allegedly injured by police, along with banners backing the student demonstrators.

The protest inside the chamber mirrors the one outside. Since mid-October, students have taken to the streets of Tirana to demand greater support for education, and to renew months-long calls for Rama’s resignation.

The street demonstrations have turned violent at times. Protesters have routinely clashed with police and attacked government buildings, and more than 350 people, including many officers, have been injured. Dozens of protesters have been detained.

Opposition lawmakers say the government is not treating this as a crisis. Belind Kellici, deputy head of the main opposition Democratic Party, accused Rama and his Socialist Party lawmakers of pushing ahead with their agenda as if nothing were happening in the country.

Also Read: Netanyahu Bloc Falls Short of Majority as Fraud Claims Spread

Thursday’s scenes were not the first of their kind. Opposition politicians tried to disrupt a vote last week, and that session ended in a scuffle. Flares had also been lit in the chamber at least twice before, which shows how often tensions in the Albanian parliament spill into disorder.

With the student protests ongoing and the opposition escalating its tactics in parliament, pressure on Rama continues to build on both fronts.

Belind Kellici said, “deliberate attempt to deny the country’s deep crisis.”