This is a follow up to my previous post regarding the demonstration in Tirana on 1-21-2011.
The reaction to the violence was varied. Footage of one shooting is available online and speculation about who the killer was became a topic of note. Prosecutors in Tirana issued warrants for high ranking national guard officers involved that day, but didn’t make any arrests. Parliament also ordered an investigation into the clash with police. Over one hundred protesters were arrested.
During the past week both parties played the blame game and both parties also decided to hold new protests. The Democratic Party called it an attempted coup and planned to hold a march for peace. The Socialist Party claimed to be organizing an homage demonstration for the three protesters killed in the previous protest and stood by their rhetoric.
There was quite a bit of tension in regard to these further actions by both parties. Friends I spoke with expressed a range of feelings; concern that the country might not be able to weather another violent protest, anger that their political views are not being represented by either party, frustration that despite the violence of a week ago, both parties wanted to organize massive actions and fear that the worst might happen.
There was significant international pressure to abandon both of these actions and the DP eventually postponed and then cancelled their peace march. The SP went ahead with their demonstration yesterday and it ended without violence.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Protests in Tirana
Thursday and Friday there were large protests in the Captial of Albania (Tirana). This is just a short summary. For more information follow the links below or use the internet.
When I arrived in Albania the news was dominated by the debate to "open the boxes" (voting boxes). The opposition Socialist Party (SP) claimed that the coalition majority led by the Democratic Party had fixed the previous elections and they were demanding a recount. Of course, the leader of the SP would be forced to step down as chairman of the party if he accepted that he lost the elections fairly (due to laws governing political parties) There were local rallies in socialist dominated areas and large rallies in the capital. Hunger strikers, who may or may not have actually been on a legitimate hunger strike, slept in tents on the main street in Tirana for a few weeks.
Recently Ilir Meta, then deputy prime minister, was caught on video lobbying for favors for energy companies. The majority coalition dismissed the video as a fabrication and the SP attacked the majority of corruption.
Thursday and Friday the SP organized an anti-government rally to force the prime minister to hold early elections again citing their belief that the previous elections were fraudulent and the recent and obvious charge of corruption.
On Friday the protests turned violent, three people were killed and many more wounded. It's important to note that most of the protesters came with the intent to be peaceful and most remained so. It has been widely reported that those inciting violence were a significant minority. Both parties blamed each other for fomenting the violence. The SP has vowed to continue protesting and the Democratic led coalition has stated it will hold a peace march on Wednesday.
Some people I've spoken with say that the violence in the capital reminded them of 1997 when the state broke down following the collapse of massive pyramid and banking schemes. The government could not impose order or security. Organized crime grew, many people were shot. I also heard that the protests over the ballot boxes were also reminiscent of the 97 as were other protests over the summer.
No one wants another 97'.
Speaking with friends, who support the ruling coalition, about the Meta scandal has been interesting. They attack and accuse fault with the Socialist Party (which is no doubt corrupt as well) rather than admit that Meta was in the wrong. They attack the tape (Meta was filmed secretly) as a breach of privacy. Politics here is very polarized and I don't know as much about it as I would like to, but honestly its hard to get even a kernel of truth out of a supporter of any party. It's also important to note that the only institutions able to organize politically on a large level are the political parties themselves. Many supporters at rallies are government employees who are compelled to attend rallies because of the political affiliation of their boss or director. Supporters are sometimes paid to attend and bused in from around the country. I wouldn't be surprised if either or both sides hired people to instigate violence so they could wave the bloody shirt at one another.
Video:
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2011/01/2011122235453578771.html
(very graphic) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKm1vETqezE&has_verified=1
(graphic) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQo4iUJ6IZQ
Articles:
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/albania-opposition-protester-clash-with-police
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/01/21/albania.protests/index.html?hpt=T1
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2011/01/2011122134433502716.html
When I arrived in Albania the news was dominated by the debate to "open the boxes" (voting boxes). The opposition Socialist Party (SP) claimed that the coalition majority led by the Democratic Party had fixed the previous elections and they were demanding a recount. Of course, the leader of the SP would be forced to step down as chairman of the party if he accepted that he lost the elections fairly (due to laws governing political parties) There were local rallies in socialist dominated areas and large rallies in the capital. Hunger strikers, who may or may not have actually been on a legitimate hunger strike, slept in tents on the main street in Tirana for a few weeks.
Recently Ilir Meta, then deputy prime minister, was caught on video lobbying for favors for energy companies. The majority coalition dismissed the video as a fabrication and the SP attacked the majority of corruption.
Thursday and Friday the SP organized an anti-government rally to force the prime minister to hold early elections again citing their belief that the previous elections were fraudulent and the recent and obvious charge of corruption.
On Friday the protests turned violent, three people were killed and many more wounded. It's important to note that most of the protesters came with the intent to be peaceful and most remained so. It has been widely reported that those inciting violence were a significant minority. Both parties blamed each other for fomenting the violence. The SP has vowed to continue protesting and the Democratic led coalition has stated it will hold a peace march on Wednesday.
Some people I've spoken with say that the violence in the capital reminded them of 1997 when the state broke down following the collapse of massive pyramid and banking schemes. The government could not impose order or security. Organized crime grew, many people were shot. I also heard that the protests over the ballot boxes were also reminiscent of the 97 as were other protests over the summer.
No one wants another 97'.
Speaking with friends, who support the ruling coalition, about the Meta scandal has been interesting. They attack and accuse fault with the Socialist Party (which is no doubt corrupt as well) rather than admit that Meta was in the wrong. They attack the tape (Meta was filmed secretly) as a breach of privacy. Politics here is very polarized and I don't know as much about it as I would like to, but honestly its hard to get even a kernel of truth out of a supporter of any party. It's also important to note that the only institutions able to organize politically on a large level are the political parties themselves. Many supporters at rallies are government employees who are compelled to attend rallies because of the political affiliation of their boss or director. Supporters are sometimes paid to attend and bused in from around the country. I wouldn't be surprised if either or both sides hired people to instigate violence so they could wave the bloody shirt at one another.
Video:
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2011/01/2011122235453578771.html
(very graphic) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKm1vETqezE&has_verified=1
(graphic) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQo4iUJ6IZQ
Articles:
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/albania-opposition-protester-clash-with-police
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/01/21/albania.protests/index.html?hpt=T1
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2011/01/2011122134433502716.html
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