New Mass Protests Shake Albania's Capital Tirana

May 15, 2010, Saturday

Supporters of Albania's Socialist Party block the main boulevard during a protest in Tirana Saturday. Photo by BGNES

Tens of thousands of people have gathered over the weekend in Albania's capital to demand the recount of the ballots from last year's election, BBC reports Saturday.

The rally was organized by the opposition Socialist Party as a show of support of Socialist activists who have been on hunger strike for two weeks outside the office of Prime Minister Sali Berisha.

Prime Minister Sali Berisha's Democrats narrowly won the general election in June 2009 and now hold 75 of parliament's 140 seats. The government says the demands are illegal and sent hundreds of policemen to guard the square where the rally is taking place.

Mayor of Tirana and opposition, Socialist leader, Edi Rama, told Saturday the Bulgarina National Radio, BNR, the rally aims at showing the world there is no democracy in Albania.

The Socialists are supported by 5 other opposition parties.

This crisis, which involved a several-months long boycott of parliament by the Socialists, has paralyzed Albanian politics and is damaging the country's bid for European Union membership.

Brussels is openly voicing its concern and several bodies, including the Council of Europe, are attempting to mediate between the Democrats and Socialists.

Since the fall of communism in 1991, Albania has never held an election that has met all international standards.