 |
| Albanian President in the offices of NDS while being conflicted with Municipal Police |
There were clashes in Albania today between the Tirana Municipal Police forces and representatives of the New Democratic Spirit (NDS) party; NDS had to release the offices that had been rented to the municipality according to the latter, in the verbal and physical conflict has been included also the President Ilir Meta. The Head of State intervened by ordering the employees of the Municipality to go out, while he spoke about an attempt by the Government to violate the opposition forces that intend to run in the elections. The New Democratic Spirit, which has been in alliance with the ruling Socialists, is now running in the April 25 election in coalition with the Democratic Party.
Municipal Police officers appeared today at the offices of the NDS, to take possession of the premises rented to this political force, which according to the Municipality, should now be emptied.
After debating with the employees of the Municipal Police, the chairman of NDS, Sali Shehu, called President Ilir Meta, who arrived within a short time. As the two entered, a clash broke out between the parties, in which the head of state himself was involved, loudly ordering the employees of the Municipality to leave immediately and threatening them that “ I will take you to prison with my own hands".
A tense situation prevailed for several minutes in a row. Afterward, President Meta, communicating with the journalists, said that according to him, the actions of the Municipality were aimed at "to physically and psychologically violate any opposition force which intends to compete on equal terms in the elections, abusing with the Municipality gang. "This is definitely very irritating and it is a warning to all Albanian citizens, to the mafia efforts to put their hands-on an equal vote, an electoral process with guarantees and integrity."
President Meta used again strong tones towards the police officers: "I am warning once again all the police officers, Municipalities and the State Police, not to end up like Mubarak police officers, under the shoes of the Albanian people", he said.
The New Democratic Spirit has been in alliance with the ruling Socialists. One of the current deputy mayors is a representative of this political force. But this party joined recently the opposition coalition in the April 25 election. A decision that seems to have created internal controversy and led to the resignation of its chairman, former President Bamir Topi.
The Tirana Municipality claims that the New Democratic Spirit has been in office three years beyond the deadline, and that the request for the release of the municipal premises has been sent to many other political forces. NDS representatives showed today that the letter sent to them was without a stamp, without a protocol number and without the name of the holder who had issued the order.
Speaking to some local media, the mayor Erion Veliaj, used denigrating tones towards the Head of State, while saying that the normal way is not that of violence, but of appealing to institutions, including the courts.
Other opposition forces also reacted to the situation. "Revenge is the most distinctive feature of Edi Rama in these 8 years. There is no question that this is violence against the opposition and free thought.