The escalation of the protest in Tirana has prompted a response from Parliament Speaker Niko Peleshi, who condemned what he described as vandalism against public institutions. In his statement, he placed emphasis on the attacks on the Parliament building and called on political parties to keep their distance from any incitement to violence.
Response from the Parliament Speaker
Peleshi reacted as a protest accompanied by episodes of violence was taking place in Tirana. According to his statement, the targeting of the Parliament building and other state facilities is unacceptable.
He described the attack on public institutions as an act that harms the public interest and increases political tension in the country.
Violence is separate from democratic protest
In his response, Peleshi maintained that vandalism cannot be identified with democratic protest. According to him, violence and destruction serve no cause.
He also stressed that these acts have no connection to the students, drawing a clear distinction between the protest and the violent episodes.
Call to political parties
A central part of his response concerns the role of political parties. Peleshi called on parties to distance themselves from incitement and calls for violence.
This is a political stance that comes at a moment of tension, when interpretations of responsibility for the escalation of the situation remain part of the public and political clash.
Peleshi’s political message
At the end of his response, the Parliament Speaker stressed that the country’s interest must be placed above any political agenda.
“Targeting the Parliament building and public institutions, and turning them into targets of blind anger, is unacceptable. Vandalism has nothing to do with the students and democratic protest. Violence and destruction serve no cause, but harm the public interest and society itself. I call on political actors to distance themselves from incitement and calls for violence. No one’s political agenda is more important than Albania,” Peleshi wrote.
The response from the Parliament Speaker comes in a tense political climate, where beyond the condemnation of violence, the debate over who bears responsibility for the escalation of the situation remains at the center.
So far, Peleshi’s statement represents the official version of the institution that was targeted during the protest.