Demonstrators: Albania’s leader corrupt, must go

TIRANA, Albania — Thousands of supporters of Albania’s political opposition took part in an anti-government protest Saturday, calling for the prime minister’s resignation for corruption and mishandling of the Balkan nation’s economy.

Sali Berisha, a former president and prime minister of Albania who leads the center-right Democratic Party, and former President Ilir Meta, who leads the left-wing Freedom Party, were among the protesters who gathered in front of the main government building with banners and shouted for Prime Minister Edi Rama of the ruling center-left Socialist Party to resign.

“Time has come for this revolution to bring out the corrupt money and turn them into higher salaries and pensions,” Berisha said.

Protest participants hurled smoke bombs at the main entrance of the government building, where hundreds of police officers formed a line to protect the building.

Rama’s critics accused him of corruption and hold him responsible him for the exodus of young Albanians who have left to pursue jobs in Western European countries. Rama contends his Cabinet has kept inflation low compared with elsewhere in Europe and has subsidized electricity for families and small businesses.

The opposition also accuses Rama of corrupting Charles Mcgonigal, a former high-ranking FBI counterintelligence official, who is accused in the United States of hiding from the FBI key details of a 2017 trip he took to Albania with a former Albanian intelligence official who is alleged to have given him at least $225,000.

Mcgonigal met with Albania’s prime minister and urged caution in awarding oil field drilling licenses in the country to Russian front companies.

Rama has acknowledged meeting with Mcgonigal but denied allegations of giving him money or preferential treatment.