Albanian opposition vows to continue protests over McGonigal affair
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- Mr. Rama is now scheduled to face questions in parliament on March 2, while his ruling Socialist Party has blocked, for now, the opposition's request for a special parliamentary inquiry commission on the matter.
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TIRANA, Feb. 21, 2023 - Albania's main opposition Democratic Party, led by former Prime Minister Sali Berisha, is vowing to protest non-stop until Prime Minister Edi Rama faces a parliamentary investigative commission over the McGonigal affair and resigns.
Mr. Rama is now scheduled to face questions in parliament on March 2, while his ruling Socialist Party has blocked, for now, the opposition's request for a special parliamentary inquiry commission on the matter.
Mr. Berisha's supporter have held two protests in the past week, including a large rally in front of the seat of government and another in front of the parliament to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Rama for what they say is corruption related to the McGonigal affair.
A former high FBI official, Charles McGonigal, was arrested late last month in the United States, accused, among other things, of not reporting contacts and connections with Albanian officials, including meetings with Mr. Rama, and that he received undeclared cash from an Albanian-American man with ties to Albanian officials.
Prime Minister Rama denies any wrongdoing, although he admits to knowing and meeting with Mr. McGonigal in Albania and the United States. He accuses the opposition of making connections that don't exist for political gain.
Opposition protesters were joined by their MPs outside the parliament, some of whom are not allowed to enter the parliament's plenary sessions, after being given ten-day suspensions for violating the rules of parliamentary ethics in earlier protests inside the parliament building.
Former Prime Minister Berisha said that the Socialist-majority parliament is excluding a series of opposition deputies from the sessions only because they are asking for the floor to seek explanations from Prime Minister Rama on the McGonigal case.
Mr. Berisha said “a revolution” had started and the opposition protests would not stop until Mr. Rama resigns as PM.
Opposition MPs have made several requests to parliament, including a question session with Mr. Rama and the establishment of an investigative commission.
The ruling Socialists agreed to a question session in two weeks time, but are stopping the investigative commission on the legality of the meetings between Prime Minister Rama and Mr. McGonigal.
Socialists decided to postpone this request until the adoption of a new law on investigative commissions, while the opposition insisted that the investigative commission be set up with the existing law.
Prime Minister Rama has largely avoided parliament in recent days, appearing only once late during the day and not speaking.
The ruling Socialist majority in parliament also easily rejected with 78 votes an opposition motion to sack Speaker of the Parliament Lindita Nikolla for her decision to hand out suspensions to several opposition MPs.
