Thousands of supporters of Albania’s opposition took to the streets of the capital Tirana on Tuesday to protest against alleged corruption in the government’s cabinet.
The demonstration followed months of protests from opposition lawmakers in parliament over the ruling socialists’ refusal to investigate alleged corruption involving Prime Minister Edi Rama and other top officials.
Protests coincided with the 33rd anniversary of the toppling of the main statue of the country’s late communist director, Enver Hoxha.
The cabinet was asked to create parliamentary commissions to investigate the allegations but has refused to do so.
While the protests in Tirana ended peacefully, demonstrators threw stones and flares at police officers and pulled down an iron fence around the main government building.
Demonstrators also expressed solidarity towards former prime minister Sali Berisha, who’s currently under house arrest.
He is being investigated for allegedly abusing his post to help his son-in-law privatise public land to construct apartment buildings.
Berisha, talking from his apartment on Tuesday, said Rama is politically attacking his family. The former prime minister has been banned from entering the US in 2021 and from the UK in 2022 following his alleged involvement in corruption.
