Albania's Democratic Party pledges continued support for student protests

Albania's Democratic Party chairman Sali Berisha said the party would continue to offer unwavering support to the students’ protest.

Speaking to Klan News, he said the DP’s local structures and Youth Forum had been involved in the protest from the outset and would remain there until it ended, CE Report quotes ATA.

Berisha rejected suggestions that the party’s involvement could undermine the student movement, arguing that its support would instead give the protest greater strength.

Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha said the party would continue to support and protect students protesting, in line with the rules they had set themselves. He stressed that the DP’s Youth Forum had been involved from the beginning and would remain until the end, accusing Prime Minister Edi Rama’s supporters of trying to undermine the protest by equating the government and the opposition.

Berisha expressed support for open electoral lists, saying he would back the system immediately. He argued that the 2008 amendments to the Electoral Code had been imposed by the opposition led by Edi Rama, leaving the Democratic Party with no alternative but to accept them or boycott the elections.

Asked about the 21 January 2011 protests, during which four demonstrators were killed on Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard, former Prime Minister Sali Berisha said the protests had been triggered by a video he claimed was entirely fabricated. He defended the police response, insisting that firearms had been used lawfully and noting that 120 police officers had been injured. Berisha also criticised the prosecutor in charge at the time, describing her as his political opponent.

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