Politics of Albania

Tensions rose in the run-up to the weekend's polls in Albania when a young man was shot in his knee inside the electoral office of the opposition Democratic Party in the central Albania town of Kavaja late on Monday.

The main opposition Democratic Party, PD, and the smaller left-wing Socialist Movement for Integration, LSI, put their ideological divisions aside on Monday to sign a pre-election agreement ahead of a legislative vote on April 25, under the slogan, "Albania, a home that wins".

Under the motto "For the stolen childhood", late this afternoon in Tirana, Durres and Vlora were held protest demonstrations with the participation of thousands of citizens, mostly women, accompanied by their daughters.

Socialist Party MP Damian Gjiknuri speaking to journalists after failure to agree on electoral reform on May 31 2020. Photo: LSA

Interior Minister Sander Lleshaj, Prime Minister Edi Rama and the police in general faced growing criticism on Wednesday for the force used to disperse protests in Tirana on Sunday against the demolition of the National Theatre.

Opposition Democratic Party leader Lulzim Basha speaking to journalists at the National Theatre on May 14, 2020. Photo: LSA

The municipal council adopted the decision to go ahead with demolition in an online meeting on Thursday, a councillor for the ruling Socialist Party told BIRN on condition of anonymity. A municipal spokesperson did not answer BIRN's request for clarification.

Albania Prime Minister Edi Rama on March 5, 2020, defending his proposal in parliament. Photo: Malton Dibra/LSA

The law, technically called a Normative Act, implying a law undertaken under extraordinary circumstances, received 89 votes for and 17 against.

The centre-left government of Albania under Edi Rama has caused a new storm by saying it wants to give the police the power to conduct surveillance to stop crimes without obtaining court permission. The change forms part of a proposal sent by the government to the parliament for approval.

Albania Prime Minister Edi Rama and US Ambassador Yuri Kim in a meeting on 31 January 2020. Photo: Edi Rama/Twitter

Pressure is growing on the Albanian government over its "anti-defamation" laws, after the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, CoE, said it had asked its advisory body, the Venice Commission, for its opinion.