TIRANA, June 22 – The Shkodra court sentenced on Saturday former opposition’s Democratic Party MP Bardh Spahia to “home arrest,” arrested three days ago while going to a television studio.
Police had taken numerous security measures for the court, while opposition supporters cheered upon Spahia’s arrival.
He is accused of contradicting police officers and intentional damage of election materials. The trial of the former Shkodra MP was attended by a group of DP members.
On Saturday, the Shkodra court issued security measures for another five arrests connected to the recent events in Shkodra. Among them are two municipal police officers, who were sent to prison for 30 days.
At the end of the session, former Democratic MP Flamur Ndoka described the Shkodra court decision towards Spahia as a politically motivated one. He said nothing was going to stop and frighten the opposition to defend the constitution and democracy, and that June 30 is not going to be the date of the elections.
Spahia was arrested following the incident at the Commission of Electoral Administration Zone (KZAZs) set up in the foreign language school, where a group of Democratic Party leaders, along with opposition supporters and municipal police workers, collided with police forces and broke the school entrance.
Some of the protesters threw gasoline bottles and rocks, breaking glass and burning the June 30 preparatory materials.
On Saturday, the Mat court gave a jail sentence to ten people accused of damaging election materials of KZAZs 16 and 17 in Burrel and Klos districts respectively.
