The streets of the Albania capital Tirana were calm on Saturday, following a day of clashes between opposition protesters and police, which left three people dead and at least 100 others wounded. However, the political situation continues to be extremely tense as government and opposition accused each other of murder on Friday evening, despite appeals for calm by the president and international leaders.
The three anti-government protesters died of bullet wounds, hospital officials confirmed, while the wounded included 42 police officers. Meanwhile on Saturday police spokesperson Alma Katragjini announced that 113 protestors had been arrested following the clashes. The fighting broke out when several hundred protesters attacked the police barricade set up to protect the prime minister’s office, using sticks, stones and Molotov cocktails, and police responded with tear gas and a water cannon to disperse the crowd. The group of violent protesters threw rocks and set several cars on fire as they clashed with police. Another group of protesters, estimated at 20,000 people, demonstrated non-violently on Tirana's main boulevard. Following the publication of a video showing the death of one of the protesters, opposition leader Edi Rama, speaking at a press conference late at night, accused Prime Minister Sali Berisha and Minister of Interior Lulzim Basha of murder.
“I accuse Prime Minister Sali Berisha of acting as the political orchestrator of this bloodbath,” said Rama. “I accuse Minister of Interior Lulzim Basha for abuse of power which resulted in the death of three people, and call for the immediate arrest of this socially dangerous worm,” he added.
The government, meanwhile, accused Rama and his supporters of trying to take power by force. In a press conference Prime Minister Sali Berisha blamed protesters for the deaths of the three demonstrators, arguing that they were shot at close range with weapons that are not part of the police arsenal. “Bandits, criminals and terrorists, orchestrated by Edi Rama, tried to usurp the prime minister’s office and take power through violence,” Berisha said.
Two of the protesters appear to have been shot after demonstrators stormed the prime minister’s office, entering one of its gates and overpowering riot police. The National Guard responded by firing a barrage of automatic riffle fire into the air in an attempt to disperse the crowd. elevision images show that this the moment when two of the shot protesters fell to the ground, however it is unclear from where the shots were fired.
On Friday evening Albania's General Prosecutor Ina Rama launched an investigation into the murders, sequestering video shot by the police, questioning witnesses and requesting police and National Guard duty activity reports.
Amnesty International urged the authorities to fully investigate the deaths of the three men.
“The police have a right to maintain order and protect the public, but they must not use excessive force against those carrying out their legitimate right to protest,” said Andrea Huber, Amnesty International's Deputy Director for Europe and Central Asia.
Local and international actors, meanwhile, appealed for calm.
Albanian President Bamir Topi said in a statement that he was following the situation with concern and appealed to all political parties to calm the demonstrators and return to dialogue. “The president calls for calm and maturity and asks all political groups to calm the protesters and help the police restore law and order,” the statement read.
In a statement during a daily press briefing, US State Department assistant secretary Philip J Crowley condemned the violence.
“We regret that the demonstration in Tirana was not peaceful and that earlier calls for calm were not heeded and we note with regret that several deaths and many dozens of injuries have been reported from these clashes,” Crowley said.
“The use of provocative rhetoric and the suggestion or tolerance of any form of violence is a deep disservice to the people of Albania. They deserve better,” he added.
Berisha’s ruling Democratic Party and the Socialist opposition, headed by Tirana mayor Edi Rama, have been locked in a power struggle since the end of the June 2009 parliamentary elections.
The Socialists allege that Berisha stole the elections through voter fraud, while the ruling majority rejects the accusations as baseless and maintains that the polls were the best the country has ever held.
Friday's anti-government protests were called by the opposition following the publication of video which allegedly shows two government ministers discussing corrupt deals.
Opposition leaders declared Saturday a day of national mourning, but warned that they would renew protests in the coming days.
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