Frank Sellers
The Duran
Thousands of protesters marched in the streets earlier to day demanding the resignation of Albania's Prime Minister, Edi Rama, over alleged links to organized crime.
Albania is a NATO member and is presently looking forward to upcoming talks on its next phase of European integration. The protests come about a month before talks are set to resume on that topic.
This isn't the first time Rama has fielded mass protests which seek his removal, last year saw multiple such events take place.
Additionally, Albania isn't alone in facing public wrath and demands for a new government, as some of its neighbors have also experienced the same, also on corruption and links to crime organizations.
Such allegations are feared as a possible roadblock in negotiations with the EU as Albania seeks membership.
Deutsche Welle reports:
The Duran
Thousands of protesters marched in the streets earlier to day demanding the resignation of Albania's Prime Minister, Edi Rama, over alleged links to organized crime.
Albania is a NATO member and is presently looking forward to upcoming talks on its next phase of European integration. The protests come about a month before talks are set to resume on that topic.
This isn't the first time Rama has fielded mass protests which seek his removal, last year saw multiple such events take place.
Additionally, Albania isn't alone in facing public wrath and demands for a new government, as some of its neighbors have also experienced the same, also on corruption and links to crime organizations.
Such allegations are feared as a possible roadblock in negotiations with the EU as Albania seeks membership.
Deutsche Welle reports:
Thousands of people have taken to the streets in Tirana, demanding Prime Minister Edi Rama step down from his post. Protesters accuse the government of having ties to organized crime and trafficking groups.Read more
Angry protesters in the Albanian capital Tirana marched along the city's Martyrs of the Nation Boulevard on Saturday chanting "Rama go." Some hurled stones at the premier's office building and the interior ministry.
"Albanians are protesting against the government's ties to organized crime and trafficking, which is undermining the future of Albania and now European integration efforts," Democratic Party leader Lulzim Basha told The Associated Press.
Basha said that "hundreds of thousands" of people participated in the anti-government march, which lasted for two hours.
There were reports of clashes between police and protesters. Ardi Veliu, the national police chief, said 11 officers were wounded while trying to keep protesters away from government offices.
The opposition also accuses Interior Minister Fatmir Xhafaj of supporting his brother who turned himself in to Italian authorities to serve a 2002 drug trafficking sentence. Xhafaj denies these allegations.
"No politicians should be guaranteed impunity," Basha told the rally participants on Saturday.
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