Allegations of corruption

Albania: Protests against the government escalate

Molotov cocktails were thrown at the prime minister's official residence in Tirana. (Bild: AFP)

Thousands of people took to the streets in the Albanian capital Tirana on Thursday to protest against Prime Minister Edi Rama. Opponents of the government accused Rama of corruption and demanded his resignation. Angry demonstrators threw incendiary devices at the Albanian government building and the office of a mayor who belongs to Rama's Socialist Party. The fires were extinguished, but there are no reports of injuries for the time being.

Opponents of the government are demanding the release of former Prime Minister Sali Berisha. The opposition leader is under house arrest on suspicion of corruption.

"Political arrest without any facts"
"Albania is the only country in Europe where the opposition leader is under political arrest without any facts or evidence," said Berisha via video link. "Edi Rama wants an Albania without Albanians, without opposition and without justice."

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The public prosecutor's office has not yet decided whether to bring formal charges against Berisha. Berisha denies all accusations and accuses Rama of revenge in order to silence opponents. Rama, for his part, denies the accusations.

Call to protest
Berisha had called on his supporters to engage in civil disobedience in order to force the government to hold new elections. Edi Rama has been in power since 2013 and has won all parliamentary and local elections since then.