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In Tirana the former Democratic lawmaker Klevis Balliu was held in custody, as today has been escorted to the capital's Police Station's No. 6 for organizing illegal protests, traffick blocking and violence against opposition. The former deputy joined the residents of the Astir area who since a few months have been protesting against the project of the new Ring Road, which foresees the demolition of dozens of buildings, dwellings and businesses, many of which are illegal. Residents blocked the road today as Prime Minister Edi Rama would pass from there, who would visit the premises of a business.
The situation was tense when police forces intervened to take away the residents. Balliu was escorted to the Commissariat along with several protesters, four of whom were released from the police in the afternoon. Earlier, the leaders of the Democratic Party gathered in front of the Commissariat to demand the release of the former deputy and the residents. DP Secretary General Gazmend Bardhi accused the police of acting on the basis of political orders. "The director of the Tirana Police on Edi Rama's political order attempts to intimidate citizens in flagrant violations of the law. They are fabricating evidence and facts by Edi Rama's political order to hold innocent citizens, including opposition deputy Klevis Balliu to the police," Bardhi said.Even the former MP, Edi Paloka, made the police responsible for the violence that he said was directed against the protesters. "They have risen like a beast on citizens, raping them with gas, fuel, and everything they have in their hands. They have taken men and women and have crashed them into police vans and are now inside, where they are held without any rights, contrary to the law, but also to human rights. This is how this government operates. Be Rama and everyone else who will receive the deserved answer. The more it adds to violence and repression, the stronger it will be the citizen response. "
The Democratic Party disbanded and confessed from the hospital of one of the protesters who accused the Order's forces of abusing and spilling gas over his body causing burns in various parts.