The clash in Parliament after the session in which the new Territorial Reform was voted on ended with a tough disciplinary measure against the opposition: Klevis Balliu and Gazment Bardhi were each suspended for 60 days. Balliu immediately opposed the decision, presenting it as a political blow against the PD parliamentary group rather than a measure based on the rules.
Suspension after tensions in the session
The decision came after tensions in the latest plenary session, where the majority pushed through the vote on the new Territorial Reform. At the center of the clash were the incidents during the session, which later resulted in the 60-day suspension of the two opposition lawmakers.
The measure against Balliu and Bardhi is among the harshest taken in Parliament, prompting the opposition to read it as a political reaction and not simply a disciplinary one.
Balliu: A decision to strike at debate in Parliament
In his statement to the media, Balliu said the suspension is aimed at striking the PD Parliamentary Group and limiting debate in Parliament. According to him, there is no basis in the rules for an MP to be suspended for two months.
He directly accused Prime Minister Edi Rama of being the political instigator of the decision and insisted that the measure is not linked to an impartial standard of discipline, but to the balance of power between the majority and the opposition.
Controversy over ‘pyrotechnic material’
The strongest part of Balliu’s reaction concerned the classification of the egg as “pyrotechnic material,” a wording he publicly mocked. The PD lawmaker said it was the first time he had heard such an interpretation and described the reasoning as absurd.
According to Balliu, even a previous court ruling did not consider an egg to be an act of violence, while now, in his version, Parliament has taken a different position to justify the extreme measure of suspension.
Allegations over how the incident started and warning of an appeal
Balliu claimed the tensions began after a Socialist Party lawmaker threw bottles in the direction of Gazment Bardhi. Along those lines, he said the opposition’s reaction is being punished, while the initial moment of the clash, according to him, is being overlooked.
He also rejected claims that the opposition had insulted Niko Peleshi, saying they did not know he was there. In the end, Balliu warned that the decision would be appealed.
The 60-day suspension of the two lawmakers is expected to deepen the conflict even further between the majority and the opposition in Parliament, in a climate where disciplinary measures are being contested not only politically, but also over the reasoning that accompanies them.