The closed session of the Assembly of Albania ended five minutes after it began, because opposition MPs set off smoke bombs, ABC News in Albanian reported.
Immediately after the budget for 2024 was adopted by majority votes, the opposition MPs lit smoke boxes, so continuation was impossible. The opposition also made a barricade of chairs.
The incident began when the former prime minister and leader of one faction of the opposition Democratic Party, Salji Beriša, tried to get to the booth. MP Gazment Bardi intervened, asking the security not to push Berisha, reports Nova.rs.
"You've turned everything into a police state. What's the point of all this, why do you practice strictness, who are you," Bardi asked the security guard.
In the meantime, after several absences from the Parliament, Prime Minister Edi Rama arrived at the Parliament today to participate in the budget session.
Before coming to the assembly, Beriša started a debate on Facebook, criticizing Rama and the president of the Dkupština Lindita Nikola.
"He (Rama) was scared, he came accompanied by a convoy of cars. We defend our constitutional rights, the rights of oppositionists, while the government protects thieves. Lindita is being exploited by Rama and is behaving like a person without dignity," Berisha said, the Albanian Post reported.
The deputy president of the Assembly, Agron Đekmarkaj, assessed that today's session was "abnormal", because the opposition is not participating.
"Don't turn the parliament into a prison. This is not a place only for the majority, while the opposition should stay outside. Everyone has equal rights. This is a real scandal, you have a responsibility. Things like this happen in authoritative countries where the opposition is surrounded by security. Such a parliament is not normal ", said Đekmarkaj.
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