Tirana braces for non-stop opposition protest while Special Forces cover the PM Office

Tirana, Albania | Tirana Echo – Albania’s capital Tirana is bracing for a large protest organized by the opposition democratic party as huge numbers of state police and special forces are mobilized by the government.

Members of the ‘Renea’ Special Forces have taken positions this morning on top of the Prime Minister’s office by Tirana’s main boulevard while all window shutters have been closed.

Meanwhile opposition representatives have defied a police order setting a time limit to the protest, and have said that demonstrators will stay as long as they please, without an end in sight, under the ‘Rise Together’ slogan.

The opposition democratic party under the lukewarm leadership of former Tirana mayor and Berisha protege Lulzim Basha who hopes to gain momentum during the protest against Albania’s socialist government led by PM Edi Rama, demands the resignation of this government and the creation of a ‘technical government’ which will handle the country’s upcoming general elections in June. Basha insists that electronic voting should be allowed in order to guarantee free and fair elections.

Sources from within the police have told Tirana Echo that there are fears of violent behavior from certain individuals during the protest, bringing back memories of the 21 January 2011 sour protest when large crowds organized by then opposition socialist party across the boulevard attacked the PM Office leading to 4 people being shot dead.

Ahead of the protest Democratic Party Chairman Lulzim Basha said that the police has got the message “I am repeating it again today that the police should not fall prey to any political manipulations, otherwise will be faced with the consequences of the povocative behavior”.

Basha has also spoken of a peaceful protest without end which will lead to a ‘big decision’, without specifying what this decision may be.

The opposition’s demonstrations start at a time when Albania is about to start the crucial ‘vetting’ process which will scan all judges and prosecutors of Albania’s widely corrupt justice system.