The final plenary session of the term turned into an open political clash, amid tensions outside Parliament and debate inside the chamber over a bill in the field of defense with the United States. At the center of the objections was a $302 million loan, for which the opposition demanded greater transparency and full documentation.
Protest outside, clash inside the chamber
Outside the Parliament building, the protest continued in a tense atmosphere, as demonstrators sought to break through police cordons to get closer to the institution.
Shortly after 10:00 a.m., the plenary session also began, the last of this term, in a politically charged atmosphere from the very first minutes.
Shehaj’s request on Rama rejected
At today’s session, lawmakers voted on a request by MP Agron Shehaj to hold a question-and-answer session with Prime Minister Edi Rama regarding Porto Romano and Vlora airport.
The request did not pass, paving the way for the next item on the agenda, the bill linked to the agreement in the field of defense with the United States.
Opposition raises concerns over missing explanatory report
After Parliament Speaker Niko Peleshi announced the bill related to the $302 million loan, Democratic Party MPs objected to the procedure and demanded transparency over the content of the agreement.
According to the opposition, the bill posted on Parliament’s website was not accompanied by the relevant explanatory report. This claim shifted the debate from the substance of the loan to the way a matter with major financial and institutional weight was being brought before Parliament.
Peleshi-Bardhi clash over reading the agreement
In response to the objections, Peleshi told opposition MPs to read the agreement by signing for its confidentiality. His position was immediately met with a reaction from the opposition.
Gazment Bardhi objected, arguing that the Constitution and Parliament’s rules of procedure require the leadership to distribute the documents to MPs. Peleshi, meanwhile, insisted that the agreement should not be voted on without being read in full by lawmakers.
Accelerated procedure and a tense close
According to parliamentary procedures cited during the session, the bill is expected to be reviewed under an accelerated procedure, based on Article 83, point 2 of the Constitution, which allows the review and approval of a bill at the request of the Council of Ministers or one-fifth of MPs, but not earlier than one week from the start of the procedure.
During the debate, Bardhi said the law would be struck down as unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court. Later, Peleshi announced the closure of the session and its resumption at 3:00 p.m., while Democratic Party MPs rose from their seats and blocked the podium in protest.
The debate in Parliament once again highlighted a recurring problem in relations between the majority and the opposition: the passage of sensitive issues with disputed documentation and limited transparency.
When it comes to an agreement related to defense and a loan worth hundreds of millions of dollars, the demand for a full reading and real access to documents does not appear to be merely a political battle, but a minimum test of parliamentary accountability.