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Latest update: 21/01/2011
- Albania
Deadly clashes break out at anti-government protest in Tirana
At least three people were killed and dozens injured during police clashes in the Albanian capital Friday after thousands of angry protesters gathered outside the prime minister’s office to demand an early general election.
By News Wires (text)
AP - The worst anti-government clashes in more than a decade erupted Friday in the Albanian capital, leaving three people dead from gunshot wounds and dozens more injured. Police responded with tear gas, plastic bullets and water cannons.
Tensions that have been building for months between the government and opposition Socialists came to a head after a top minister was forced to resign this week amid an alleged corruption scandal.
More than 20,000 people hit the streets Friday to demand that Prime Minister Sali Berisha call early elections after the country’s deputy prime minister, Ilir Meta, resigned. Opposition supporters battled riot police outside Berisha’s office in Tirana, and health officials said three people were shot dead and 30 civilians and 24 policemen and National Guard were injured.
The United States and the European Union expressed “deep regret” at the violence.
Albania is one of Europe’s poorest countries. For nearly 50 years, this mountainous country of 3.2 million people was ruled by xenophobic Communists who banned contact with the outside world. That regime was toppled in a student-led revolt in 1990. The country is now a NATO member and seeks to join the 27-nation EU but corruption is believed to be pervasive and unemployment is high.
The corruption scandal broke after a private TV station aired a video allegedly showing Meta asking a colleague to influence the awarding of a contract to build a power station.
The Socialists have also accused Berisha’s conservative Democratic Party of rigging the 2009 election, which it won by a narrow margin. The next election is scheduled for 2013.
Clashes broke out Friday when several hundred protesters broke away from the main group and started attacking a riot police cordon. Chanting “Get out, Get out!” some protesters overturned and torched cars, smashed paving stones and hurled them at riot police and reached the steps of the government building.
Police used tear gas and water cannons to beat them back. As the night fell, hundreds of riot policemen and national guard officers swept through the center of the capital, beating protesters with batons and detaining dozens of youths. There was no immediate word on arrests.
President Bamir Topi urged political leaders to defuse the tensions. Opposition leader Edi Rama also called for calm but said Berisha should heed the message from the protest.
“We shall continue our struggle in a determined way, because the way out is clear: Either a free Albania for all, or keep the people subdued under the boot of barbaric power,” Rama said.
The United States Embassy, the European Union delegation and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe issued a joint statement to say they “deeply regret that today’s demonstration in Tirana was not peaceful and resulted in some casualties.
“Violence and excessive use of force cannot be justified and should be avoided. We urgently appeal for calm and restraint on all sides and to abstain from provocations,” the statement said.
They called for “constructive dialogue and compromise” to resolve differences between political groups.




























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Before I associate with any
Before I associate with any nationality, religion or group of any kind I am simply a humble citizen of the Earth. I believe it is time for groups and facilities such as that represented on this site to realise that it serves nobody to promote one sector of humanity at the expense of another.
For millennia the Jewish people were not allowed to rule their own destiny or to hold any office of influence in other nations. This can be seen through the Sumerians, Egyptians, Romans, English, Catholics and just about every nation and religion for thousands of years. All of these groups adopted this stand because they believed the Jewish people represented a destructive and insidious force on their society. It would be a desperate argument to suggest all of these groups were wrong.
Due to the efforts of the Rothschild family, the influence and leverage they held through the Windsor family the nation of Israel was formed. Now for the first time in history the Jewish people are not only provided a voice but they are amongst the most powerful voices in the world. They have enjoyed this power for almost 1 hundred years through associations such as Rothschild, Windsor, US government and their extreme domination of world media.
Unfortunately the evidence that has accumulated since the Jewish people have had this power overwhelmingly suggest the decisions made by all the world for thousands of years to prevent the Jewish people from attaining power was correct and justified. The Jewish people have viciously abused this power on a monumental scale that has never been perpetrated by any other group to this extent. Although the entire western world has been subjected to a constant barrage of inflammatory and manipulative information from Jewish people regarding their enemies we have not been allowed the perspective of those enemies. It is now clear to all who choose to see that Israel is the instigator of violence in the Middle East. It is clear that their power is infinitely more than their enemies and that this power is grossly abused to perpetrate breaches of human rights. You continue to milk the atrocities of WW2 for financial reward through your media facilities yet you never provide a balanced perspective. As with the vast majority of the world I condemn the persecution of Jews and any other party throughout WW2 or any other event. The Germans suggested that the Jews were persecuted because they were an insidious, destructive force on their society and substantially influenced the treaty of Versailles. Unfortunately this is a fact.
In 80 odd years the Jewish people through financial influence, intimidation through media, association to groups such as royalty, fear and persecution have become the most destructive and insidious group to ever walk the Earth. They have been responsible for more violence, financial hardship, persecution and human rights breaches than any other party in history. Their contribution to the current world crisis is dominant. Crisis including terrorism, recession and war.
I would like to believe that the extreme Jewish views are not representative of the majority of Jewish people. I do believe that all people are equal and that the urgently needed change in Jewish dogma must come from within. Jewish people must desist with this belief of superiority, they must cease their inherent violence, they must stop their persecution of the entire world and they must respect their obligation to behave in an honourable manner. Surely the Jewish people can see the outcome if they do not. I have endured the violence and hardship brought about by this group for a lifetime. Billions of other people have also endured this unacceptable behaviour. It is entirely foolish to believe this can continue for much longer.
hi
This is act of violenc of some people that are not belong in planet ,reall educated Albanian humans know better , may God bless people around World,and Albania also.
I have been watching
I have been watching carefully the protest, and people were called one week by socialists leaders individually door next door for a calm protest, and they left the people alone, and Edi Rama with his cupola stayed at a luxury restaurant at the Twin Towers ( property of one of the socialist party Fidel Ylli )with all the other socialists, while the policemen were hardly attacked by those hooligans,
The Albanian citizens do not need to change the government power from one party to other party, but the case is the honest people must govern! criminal people very known for all of us are deputy, Tom Doshi, Fidel Ylli, Edi Rama, and they are governing at the municipality of Tirana and are doing dirty business and are the most riches politicians in Europe ! thank you
Is it so difficult for the
Is it so difficult for the international community to press for early general election? Hear how Berisha is terrorized by the idea early general election