Albania’s parliamentary session turned chaotic on Monday as opposition members initiated a disruptive protest to impede the voting on the 2024 budget. In a dramatic scene, smoke bombs were set off, and a small fire ignited in the middle of the chamber, leading to a brief disturbance.
Opposition MPs, primarily from the Democratic Party, piled chairs in the center of the chamber, releasing red, green, and purple smoke. Security personnel intervened to prevent protesters from reaching Prime Minister Edi Rama’s seat. One MP was observed lighting a small fire, briefly causing flames that were promptly extinguished by fellow politicians.
The opposition, led by Sali Berisha, accused the government of attempting to stifle dissent within parliament, where Rama’s Socialist party holds a majority. Berisha, a former prime minister and Albania’s first post-communist president, asserted that their objective was to introduce pluralism into parliament.
The disturbance occurred during a session lasting less than five minutes, resulting in the successful passage of the budget’s initial vote.
Last month, Berisha and his son-in-law faced corruption charges related to a land deal. Prosecutors accused Berisha of leveraging his influence as prime minister from 2005 to 2009 for personal gain. While his son-in-law was arrested, Berisha, as an MP, benefits from immunity. He denies the charges and has been ordered not to leave the country.
Berisha claims that Rama orchestrated the prosecution against him, an allegation Rama vehemently denies. The prime minister criticized the opposition, stating they brought “the vocabulary and manners of the street into politics.”
By Reuters
