A total of 11 people have been arrested after an anti-government protest in Tirana last night, the police in the Albanian capital announced today, quoted by the news portal “Schiptar“. Yesterday's anti-government protest was organized by the main opposition Democratic Party of Albania, BTA reported.
According to police information, the detainees are between the ages of 18 and 50, with some of them arrested at the moment they were throwing “Molotov“ cocktails at institutional buildings in the center of Tirana. As the portal reports, another 15 people, including two democrats, are being investigated for disturbing public order.
Five police officers were injured during the protest, whose condition is not known reports.
A total of 45 unexploded Molotov cocktails were found and seized in the bags of protesters, the police in Tirana also reported.
Unlike previous opposition protests, this time there was no escalation of tension, as the crowd was quickly dispersed using water cannons, tear gas and sprays under the leadership of the new Director General of the Albanian Police Skender Hita, notes “Schiptar“.
According to information from “Schiptar“, the former Director General of the Police Ilir Proda was removed from his post due to his unsuccessful handling of the situation surrounding the anti-government protest in Tirana on February 28.
In recent months, the Democratic Party of Albania, led by former Albanian President and Prime Minister Sali Berisha, and its allies organize frequent protests demanding the resignation of the socialist government of Edi Rama, the formation of a transitional (technical) cabinet and the holding of free elections. The protests were prompted by allegations by the Democrats that the votes in the parliamentary vote in Albania last year were manipulated. Tensions further escalated after allegations of corruption against the Albanian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Belinda Baluku, who was subsequently removed from office.