Opposition protesters have thrown petrol bombs at Albania’s government building and at the office of the mayor of Tirana, demanding the resignation of prime minister Edi Rama.
Thousands of protesters also called for the release of opposition leader Sali Berisha, who is currently under house arrest amid an investigation over alleged corruption while serving as prime minister from 2005 to 2013.
Berisha has denied wrongdoing and accused Rama of pursuing a vendetta to silence his political opponents. Rama has denied this accusation.
Reuters reports that Berisha addressed the crowds via video link from his home.:
Albania is the only country in Europe with its opposition leader under political arrest without any facts, evidence or documents. … Edi Rama wants an Albania without Albanians, without opposition and without justice.
Freedom Party leader Ilir Meta, who is an ally of Berisha, also spoke at the rally. Kosovapress reports that he called on all Albanians, including those in Kosovo and North Macedonia, to “overthrow the Government of Prime Minister Edi Rama.”
The protests come on the eve of Italy opening migrant processing centres in Albania. In June, Italian PM Giorgia Meloni visited the country to tour the new facilities ahead of their expected opening next month. Albania will take in 3,000 migrants for one month each while their asylum applications are processed.
Rama was elected prime minister in 2013 and his party has won every subsequent election.
