TIRANA, Feb. 21 – Parliament Speaker Gramoz Ruci cancelled Thursday’s parliamentary session on Wednesday, saying he was allowing the opposition to reflect on its decision to give up its mandates, but also due to police hints the opposition’s protest would turn violent.
“It is our duty to give the opposition space to reflect and a chance to return to the way of reason,” said Ruà§i on Tuesday afternoon.
On Thursday, however, after a peaceful protest that had no violent incidents, the opposition did give up its mandates as per the unanimous decision taken by its executive structures.
“The message to our friends is that we are not a people of violence, we are a people of freedom, of democracy. We are the European future of Albania. But we will never accept a bandit Prime Minister, caught red handed stealing the will of the people in collaboration with criminal gangs, stealing hundreds of millions of Albanians’ pockets who can not pay for their food,” said Basha.
The head of the DP specified there would be no turning back and that “Rama’s resignation is just the beginning. He will end up facing justice, as he deserves by the law.”
On Wednesday police announced in a statement there is “information there will be violence and criminal organizations,” and more than one thousand police forces were engaged today in the parliament where the opposition holds its protest.
During the night, the whole area was surrounded by barbed wire.
Basha said the barbed wire measure resembles a military regime, while calling the cancelling of the parliamentary session “anti-constitutional” and “illegal.”
“Through civic unification, we will enable that these two important events today – the shutting down of the parliament and its surrounding with barbed military wire, as well as Rama’s resignation – not to become the events of only one day, but to turn into the political solution and to pave the way for free and fair elections, a parliament for the people, with the people and for the people,” Basha said.
EU: “Renouncing mandates sets back Albania’s EU integration process”
“The opposition’s decision to renounce their mandates seriously hampers the functioning of democracy in Albania,” was a statement made on Thursday by European Union High Representative Federica Mogherini and Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn.
“Given the protests in Albania today, we reaffirm the right of citizens to engage in peaceful demonstrations as an essential trait and an essential value of democracy, but we strongly denounce every rhetoric of political leaders calling for violence,” the joint statement read.
EU representatives also pointed out that “parliament is where reforms and relevant developments need to be discussed and brought forward, not boycotted.”
The joint statement concluded with a call that “the government and the opposition engage in constructive discussions in order to overcome the current political situation for the benefit of Albania and its citizens.”
US Embassy calls on opposition MPs to reject giving up parliamentary mandates
The US Embassy to Tirana also harshly reacted on Tuesday evening against the opposition’s unprecedented decision to give up its parliamentary mandates.
“A healthy democracy requires an opposition that functions constructively within constitutional institutions. Threats from the Democratic Party, the Socialist Movement for Integration and other opposition parties to abandon their parliamentary mandates undermine the basic principles of democracy and sabotage the significant progress Albania has achieved in law enforcement and accountable governance,” the announcement stresses.
In its stand, the embassy also states that “the US urges all MPs to stand up to political quarrels, to reject calls to abandon their mandates and to defend the ideals and principles that are of crucial importance to any strong democracy. If you fail to do your job, you will disappoint the people you have the privilege of serving,” the statement concludes.
PM Rama urges cabinet to focus on upcoming local elections
Through it all, Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist-led majority has voiced no concerns over the opposition’s decision, while during the socialist group’s parliamentary meeting, Rama urged his lawmakers to focus on the upcoming local elections.
Through a tweet, Rama made fun of the opposition’s decision, drawing parallels between mandate resignation and a football tournament.
“Can’t stand Juventus any longer. Let’s cancel the championship. Whoever is lagging behind should burn their shirts and leave the field. This horrible team should give up its advantage, keep from creating its own formation and begin the matches from start! Otherwise there is no football, but only street games,” Rama’s tweet read.
