Protests erupt in Albania against alleged government corruption
Thousands of supporters of Albania’s opposition took to the streets of the capital Tirana on Tuesday to protest against alleged government corruption.
The demonstration, which marked the 33rd anniversary of the toppling of the main statue of the country’s late communist director, Enver Hoxha, followed months of protests from opposition lawmakers in parliament.
At issue is the refusal of the ruling left-wing Socialists to investigate alleged cases of corruption involving Prime Minister Edi Rama and other top officials.
The cabinet was asked to create parliamentary commissions to investigate the allegations, but refused to do so.
While the protests in Tirana ended peacefully, demonstrators threw stones and flares at police officers and pulled down an iron fence around the main government building.
Demonstrators also expressed solidarity towards former prime minister Sali Berisha, who is currently under house arrest while being investigated for allegedly abusing his post to help his son-inlaw privatise public land to construct apartment buildings.
Supporters from one wing of the divided Democratic Party steered clear of the protest, accusing Berisha of exploiting it for personal gain.
Speaking from his apartment on Tuesday, Berisha claimed Rama is attacking his family for political purposes. The former prime minister was banned from entering the US in 2021 and from the UK in 2022 because of his alleged involvement in corruption.