Summit day protest aims to expose government’s ills, opposition says
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- Protest will take place near the prime minister’s office regardless of rejection of permit by police, according to Berisha, the DP leader.
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TIRANA, Nov. 30, 2022 - Albania’s main opposition Democratic Party, led by the former prime minister, Sali Berisha, said it will hold its protest on Dec. 6 near the government headquarters despite not being issued a permit for that location.
A high-level summit of the European Union and the Western Balkans will be held in the Albanian capital on that day, and the opposition leaders say the protest will serve to highlight the failures and authoritarianism of the government of Prime Minister Edi Rama.
Berisha reacted to a state police document that officially rejected the opposition's request to hold a protest near the prime minister's office, on the grounds that the location is within the security perimeter of the high-level meeting of European and regional leaders. According to the police, organizing a protest in this area poses a risk to security.
The police emphasized that they are ready to guarantee the success of any gathering, which will be held outside the security perimeter of the high-level meeting. The perimeter includes all of the main Deshmoret e Kombit Boulevard and Mother Teresa Square as well several streets in the area.
However, Berisha said that the refusal by police is violating the Constitution, as he said, protesters are only required by law to notify the police of their activity.
Berisha said the protesters will highlight the authoritarianism of Prime Minister Rama, and the protest will have as a theme: "We want Albania to be like the rest of Europe."
He said the DP is a pro-EU party and protesters will in no case harm the safety of the European visitors participating in the high-level meeting.
DP will be joined by ally Freedom Party at the protest, its leader Ilir Meta said on Wednesday.
