The latest protest outside Parliament turned into a day of rising tension, with clashes between protesters and police forces, intervention with water and tear gas, as well as a session that ended with voting only by the majority. According to the version reported from the scene, the situation remained heated even after parliamentary proceedings were closed.
Parliament area under heavy security measures
From the early hours, the area around Parliament was placed under increased police control. According to reporting from the ground, a metal barrier was set up starting from the intersection with Elbasan Road, in a security scheme that signaled expectations of clashes.
As time passed, the protest intensified. Demonstrators threw eggs and tomatoes at police officers, while police responded with water and tear gas. The exact toll of the injured is not clear from the published information, as the report mentions both indications of injured police officers and ambulance transport.
Session ends in tension, Rama arrives at Parliament
After several hours of plenary session, Prime Minister Edi Rama also arrived at Parliament. Immediately afterward, according to the source material, Democratic Party deputies again blocked the podium.
After the blockage, discussions were closed and the session moved directly to voting. Under these conditions, the majority voted alone on all draft laws, a development that once again raises questions about the normal functioning of parliamentary debate and the real role of the opposition in the chamber.
Clashes even after proceedings ended
The tension did not end with the close of the session. According to the report, after proceedings ended, protesters noticed one of the vehicles of majority representatives leaving, a moment that brought another concentration of the crowd.
One of the deputies’ cars was hit with eggs. At that moment, an officer identified one of the protesters who was striking the vehicle, but the situation worsened when other protesters rushed in to protect him.
Police intervention and detention of protesters
After the incident, a large number of police forces intervened to disperse the crowd and bring the area under control. According to the official version described in the report, at least two protesters who hit a deputy’s car were escorted by police.
Even at this stage, the reporting remains partial and the data still unconsolidated. The report mentions that protesters continued throwing eggs and tomatoes at police officers, while also referring to injured police and ambulance intervention, without a final verified toll.
The events before and after the session at Parliament once again showed that political tension is increasingly being transferred to the streets and to central institutions.
Until a fuller announcement from police or health institutions, the figures on the injured and the full dynamics of the clashes remain to be verified.