New opposition protest in Tirana

The Democratic Party of Albania and its supporters held another protest on Sunday evening against the government of Prime Minister Edi Rama. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in front of the prime minister’s office on the Boulevard of the Martyrs of the Nation in Tirana, throwing fireworks, Molotov cocktails, and other pyrotechnic devices at the facade of the government building.

The police, which had taken numerous measures to control the situation, responded with water cannons and tear gas. The leader of the Democratic Party, Sali Berisha, was protected by his bodyguards, and he wore a mask and carried an umbrella.

The police also took measures to protect Villa No. 31, the former home of dictator Enver Hoxha, which had been attacked during a previous protest by demonstrators and had even caught fire after fire extinguishers and Molotov cocktails were thrown at it.

After the protest in front of the government office, the demonstrators headed toward the headquarters of the Tirana municipality. This time, there were no speeches by opposition leaders, only a protest walk against what the opposition calls corruption in the government, and against the defense that, according to their claims, Prime Minister Rama is providing for former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku and other officials accused by the new judiciary.