Albanian opposition demonstrations

Albanian opposition protesters threw Molotov cocktails and stones at government building – Rama was on a official visit to Turkey

Tensions escalated in Albania as anti-government protests erupted into clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement in the capital city of Tirana. Thousands of supporters of the opposition Democratic Party converged outside the parliament building, demanding the immediate release of party leader Sali Berisha, who has been under house arrest since December 31 on charges of corruption.

Albania's parliament voted Thursday to lift the legal immunity of former prime minister Sali Berisha, who leads the opposition Democratic Party and is accused of corruption.

Albania's Socialist Prime Minister, Edi Rama, has rejected opposition claims of blackmailing voters over access to government funds.

On Wednesday he said his threats to block funds to municipalities run by opposition mayors were a consequence of opposition leader Sali Berisha's designation by the US State Department as "being involved in significant corruption".

"With this designation, I am reaffirming the need for accountability and transparency in Albania's democratic institutions, government processes, and the actions of Albanian public officials," Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrote in the press release.

Former Albanian prime minister Sali Berisha. Photo: LSA

Berisha is the fourth Albanian to be added to the list of people unwelcome in the US after former General Prosecutor Adriatik Llalla, former Socialist Party mayor Vangjush Dako and the current Social Democratic Party head, Tom Doshi.

Albania President Ilir Meta at a press conference in Tirana on Tuesday. Photo: Gent Shkullaku/LSA

The Albanian president accused billionaire investor and philanthropist George Soros of being responsible for what he called "a conspiracy aimed at totally capturing the state".

Albanian opposition protesters using firecrackers against police on June 2. Photo: Gjergj Erebara/BIRN

At their seventh large protest, the opposition parties again called for the removal of Prime Minister Edi Rama and his Socialist-led government.

Protesters push against police in Tirana on 21 March 2019. Photo: Gjergj Erebara/BIRN

Protesters threw a coloured substance against one of MPs as he was entering the parliament in Tirana for the first time.

After the opposition parties summoned their supporters early in the morning, dozens of them threw firecrackers and smoke bombs while police pushed them back.

Anti-government protesters broke through police cordons and attempted to storm Albania's parliament during a major opposition-led rally in Tirana on Saturday.

Police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd, many of whom had come prepared with gas masks.