Three years after the explosion at Gerdec, opposition organizes protest at the site.
TIRANA TIMES
TIRANA, March 17 – Marking three years since the tragic events at Gerdec, the Socialist Party chose to hold its latest protest at the site of explosion outside Tirana, blaming the government for the events that led to the explosion, deaths and destruction.
Opposition Edi Rama told those attending the protest the government should take responsibility for the event, in which 26 people died, hundreds were injured and many homes destroyed. Rama put the blame squarely on Prime Minister Sali Berisha.
“It is now three years from the date when 26 ordinary people of this country were killed Šso the government could benefit from the illegal dealings,” he said, adding that no one has been punished for the explosion so far. “We should not allow any more such tragedies occur.”
The ruling Democrats said using the deaths at Gerdec as a political ploy was in poor taste. Through Member of Parliament Gerti Bogdani, they said Rama’s words wanted to bring the country backward.
Also attending the event were family members of the victims. The association of the families of the victims, dead and injured, in Gerdec have gone all the way to the Strasbourg Court of Human Rights suing the then-Defense Minister Fatmir Mediu. Mediu is now environment minister in the Berisha government.
The explosion at the Gerdec disposal ammunition factory in March 2008 killed 26 persons, injured 300 others and damaged thousands of houses and other objects in the area.
Mediu resigned from the post after the explosion and the prosecutor’s office started a case against him and 28 other top officials of the ministry, army and also the private company operating there.
But more than a year later Mediu was re-elected as lawmaker for his Republican Party, which he leads. Following that, the governing Democrats’ Prime Minsiter Sali Berisha re-named him in the cabinet, this time as environment minister.
That meant that the case against him ended due to immunity issues, something which did not satisfy the victims’ families, who turned to the European Court.
More protests to come
The Socialist Party announced the Gerdec protest is part of its ongoing series of protests against the government. The political situation remains tense in Tirana. The government and opposition continue to exchange charges with harsh language.
The Socialist Party insists it will intensify the demonstrations to remove the government. Rama says the resolution of political crisis in the country comes with the removal of Berisha and the conduct of free and fair elections. But the government says it has started preparations for the elections.
Even the local elections of May 8 are still not fully sorted yet. The Socialists are says the right conditions should be created for the elections.
