Opposition in Albania disrupts traffic for three hours amid calls for caretaker government

Tirana, December 23, 2024 – Opposition protests in Tirana on Monday evening brought traffic to a halt for nearly three hours, as demonstrators, led by members of the Democratic and Freedom Party, called for free elections and a caretaker government.

The protest began at 5:00 PM and quickly escalated as protesters blocked key roads in the city. Tensions first rose when a woman, trying to reach a hospital with her sick child, pleaded for the protesters to clear the way. Police intervened, diverting traffic to alternate routes and briefly easing the situation.

Gazment Bardhi, the head of the Democratic Party's parliamentary group, addressed the crowd, insisting that the police respect their right to protest. Despite police warnings that blocking roads was a criminal offense, the protesters refused to disperse. After more than an hour of stand-off, police attempted to clear the streets, resulting in clashes between the two sides.

Bardhi accused the police of escalating the situation, claiming that the response was becoming increasingly aggressive. "This violence is unjustifiable," he said, adding that police actions were chaotic and unlawful.

Erisa Xhixho, an MP from the Freedom Party, reiterated the protesters' constitutional right to demonstrate. "We are within our constitutional rights," she said.

After several hours, the protest began to wind down. Former Prime Minister Sali Berisha, who had not attended a protest in almost a year, appeared among the demonstrators to announce its end. He reaffirmed the opposition's demand for free elections and vowed to continue the struggle until their goals were met.