Albanian opposition stages anti-government protest

TIRANA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Albanian opposition supporters staged protest against the government on Thursday with protesters trying to break through the Police cordon positioned in front of the parliament building.

Protesters, led by the main opposition Democratic Party, threw firecrackers and smoke bombs at Police while Police pushed them back.

Unlike in previous protests, Police did not use tear gas, although they were prepared with gas masks and water cannons.

The opposition strategy is to organize protests each time the parliament gathers in scheduled plenary sessions. They called on Prime Minister Edi Rama to step down, accusing him and his cabinet of being corrupt and relating to organized crime.

Rama, however, has refused to resign. The Socialist lawmakers say the violent protests are damaging Albania's image and blocking path to European Union (EU) membership.

The opposition lawmakers resigned from their parliament seats in late February, claiming that the Socialist government stole the last legislative elections in 2017.

Meanwhile, under the Albanian electoral system of closed lists, the resigned seats have been offered to election candidates further down the list of the same party.

Until now, 17 lawmakers from the lists of the Democratic Party and Socialist Movement for Integration have agreed to join the parliament, bringing the total number to 99 out of 140-seats.

Albanian opposition parties have refused the calls of the EU and international organizations to hold dialogue with the government and end the political crisis.

Albania hopes to start talks on accession to EU membership in June this year.