Tirana mayhem as political stalemate sours

Published on 24 January 2011 at 10:47

Cover

"Which one opened fire?" headlines Tema alongside a front-page photo spread of members of the country’s security forces suspected of the shooting which resulted in the deaths of three people in front of Prime Minister Sali Berisha’s offices on 21 January. The victims were taking part in a demonstration organised by the opposition socialist party, led by the mayor of Tirana, Edi Rama, to demand that the government stand down in the wake of the departure of Economy and Trade Minister Ilir Meta who resigned amid corruption allegations on 14 January. Attacking Berisha’s claim that the opposition should be blamed for the deaths on Friday, Tema argues that the prime minister is "materially, politically and morally" responsible for the bloodshed. EUobserver explains that a political stalemate which has been ongoing since 2009, when Rama accused Berisha of rigging general elections, has resulted in the blocking of Albania’s application to join the European Union.

Tags

Was this article useful? If so we are delighted!

It is freely available because we believe that the right to free and independent information is essential for democracy. But this right is not guaranteed forever, and independence comes at a cost. We need your support in order to continue publishing independent, multilingual news for all Europeans.

Discover our subscription offers and their exclusive benefits and become a member of our community now!

Are you a news organisation, a business, an association or a foundation? Check out our bespoke editorial and translation services.

Support independent European journalism

European democracy needs independent media. Join our community!

On the same topic