Opposition lawmakers in Albania disrupted a parliamentary session on Thursday by setting off flares that filled the chamber with colored smoke, an act that follows weeks of student-led anti-government protests. Members of the main opposition Democratic Party also blocked access to the podium during a vote on a central bank bill.
"These ruling lawmakers are criminals, and they deserve tear gas, rubber bullets, cracked skulls, and broken bones—not the young people," opposition leader Sali Berisha declared before his microphone was cut off. As the chamber devolved into chaos, fellow opposition members surrounded Berisha, holding blue flares, the official color of their party, and displaying images of protesters injured by police rubber bullets.
Albania has been gripped in recent weeks by demonstrations demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama. Protesters cite alleged government corruption, underfunded schools, widespread unemployment, and a lack of economic opportunities as reasons for their unrest. The protests began on October 13 and have at times turned violent, with demonstrators clashing with police and setting fire to government buildings. Protesters also targeted Rama’s ruling Socialist Party headquarters in Tirana, clashing with riot police.
In response to the unrest, Rama, who has governed since 2013, has blamed "foreign hands who do not want Albania in the European Union," accusing outside forces of manipulating the movement and claiming they "represent organized crime rather than students." To curb the violence, Rama introduced strict new measures, including $6,000 fines for anyone participating in a protest that turns violent, regardless of whether they personally commit acts of violence. Another demonstration is scheduled for Saturday.