Prime Minister Edi Rama has reiterated his accusations against President Ilir Meta for inciting violence in the recent protest, and for even paying the minor protesters to be violent.
The harsh accusation came as Rama visited a hospitalized policeman on Friday, while the third day of protest was ongoing.
Rama accused both President Meta and former President Sali Berisha for inciting violence, while pointing at Meta and his former party, the Socialist Movement for Integration for paying money to minors to engage in violence during protests.
“The evidence is in the words of the President of the Republic, and the one who was President and former Prime Minister who today is proud that he has killed people and shows the Albanians that violence is the way forward. Evidence is in those minors who have been manipulated and abused, and who are surely lured even with money to take to the streets and do what they do without being aware. The president’s party uses minors to set fire to the country’s capital,” Rama told reporters.
Protesters are demanding the resignation of General Director of Police Ardi Veliu and the reforming of police after a 25-year-old man was killed for allegedly violating curfew hours and trying to run away from the police.
Whilst Rama accuses the opposition and the president for orchestrating the protest, so far no political party has claimed to lead the protests and no politician has been participating.
The protests were reportedly called by several popular social media accounts engaging in social and political memes, following the killing of the young man, and their claims that the government was trying to blame the victim.
The resignation of the minister of interior on Thursday did not lead to the end of protests.
