The request was made to hold a protest in front of Parliament following Speaker Ruci’s announcement that there would be a session. Despite his violation of Parliamentary regulations, he failed to list the time of the meeting so as to discourage a protest from taking place.
The application was made to the police in Tirana but it was refused on the grounds that it “is a threat to the security of the Parliament of Albania.” The police added that the protest would prevent MPs and administration employees from entering and exiting the premises, putting “their life in danger” and stopping parliament from functioning normally. This is in despite of the fact that the right to assemble and protest is a fundamental human right as well as being enshrined in the constitution.
Police requested that the Opposition hold the protest in a more appropriate location.
The Opposition have responded that they will continue with the protest as planned and that any attempt to stop the protest and any consequences of such action will be blamed on the police. They also stated that the refusal to allow the protest to go ahead is in violation of the laws of Albania.
Tomorrows protest will be the fourth in just over two weeks and is being called as a part of an ongoing call for the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama and “free and fair” elections in the wake of the election rigging scandal.
During the last protest, minor reports of vandalism were noted to which the police responded by firing tear gas directly into the crowd. A number of protestors and police officers were treated for injuries sustained from direct contact with canisters as well as respiratory issues.
