The Democratic Party has concluded its next protest following its traditional script, speeches by the members of the leadership, a message from Sali Berisha and the throwing of Molotov cocktails towards the Prime Minister's Office. However, what made this rally different from previous times was the strategy of the State Police, which reacted more harshly than in previous times.
During his speech, Berisha reiterated his stance that the DP remains the only hope to save Albania from what he described as "Edi Rama's drug state." He drew a comparison with the Hungarian opposition, arguing that unlike Orban's case, in Albania the government has cracked down on opposition leaders and used criminal groups to distort the vote.
A new move in his strategy was a direct invitation to the prime minister, challenging him to a televised showdown, beyond calls for a caretaker government.
As soon as the DP leader's speech ended, the situation became tense with the throwing of pyrotechnics and Molotov cocktails. The police responded immediately using water, tear gas and pepper spray, while intervening to arrest the young people. The officers did not even spare the DP MPs, throwing spray in their faces.
Following the clashes, opposition MPs Flamur Noka, Luçiano Boçi, Klevis Balliu and activist Aulon Kalaja were injured and received medical attention at the hospital. On the other hand, a police officer was injured with burns and head injuries.
The police intervention was the same at Parliament, which dispersed the protest more quickly than usual, not even allowing them to gather in front of the building.
At the end of the rally, Berisha accused the new director of the State Police, Skënder Hitaj, of "brutal intervention." He described the protest as successful and warned that civil disobedience would continue, announcing that the next date would be made public soon.
