ALBANIA: Several thousand attend anti-government protest in Tirana on the 25th anniversary of the fall of former dictator Enver Hoxa

Record ID: 564916

  • Title: ALBANIA: Several thousand attend anti-government protest in Tirana on the 25th anniversary of the fall of former dictator Enver Hoxa
  • Date: 20th February 2014
  • Summary: TIRANA, ALBANIA (FEBRUARY 20, 2014) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS GATHERING IN "SKENDERBEU" BOULEVARD PROTESTER HOLDING A BANNER READING: "STOP GOVERNMENT'S UNLAWFULNESS" (SOUNDBITE) (Albanian) MIMOZA BASHA, PROTESTER, SAYING: "(I am here) to protest peacefully against the government. Against their broken promises." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING TOWARDS THE PM'S OFFICE HOLDING BANNERS AND BLOWING VUVUZELAS PROTESTERS MARCHING FORMER ALBANIAN PM SALI BERISHA (L) AND HEAD OF DEMOCRATIC PARTY LULZIM BASHA (R) POLICEWOMEN IN FRONT OF PM'S OFFICE PROTESTERS SHOVING "V" SIGN/ CHEERING BASHA ARRIVES TO ADDRESS THE CROWD PEOPLE CHEERING "LULI, LULI" -BASHA'S NICK NAME (SOUNDBITE) (Albanian) THE HEAD OF DEMOCRATIC PARTY, LULZIM BASHA, SAYING "In December of the last year Albania did not get the European Union candidate status. Albania had fulfilled all the requirements including the elections, political rotation of power (PD stepping down and excepting the vote results), but the new government who only had to go and take the candidate status- lost it. Today I feel a political, citizens and national obligation to warn Albanians that we again can loose the status in June for the same reasons." END OF THE PROTEST
  • Embargoed: 7th March 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Albania
  • Country: Albania
  • Topics: General,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAEW71OMKICD9LGKZTANWA5MN0K
  • Story Text: Several thousands of people joined the Albania's Democratic Party (PD) in an anti-government protest on Thursday (February 20). PD called people to protest against the government's failing to uphold promises to reform building regulations, install a free healthcare system, cut the price of electricity and petrol and lower taxes.
    "(I am here) to protest peacefully against the government. Against their broken promises," said Mimoza Basha.
    Rama of the Socialist Party and his coalition partner Ilir Meta, head of Socialist Movement for Integration, where also accused for Albania's failing to get the European Union candidate status last December.
    The leader of Democratic Party, Lulzim Basha had launched a tour throughout Albania, where he invited people to participate in a demonstration.
    "In December of the last year Albania did not get the European Union candidate status. Albania had fulfilled all the requirements including the elections, political rotation of power (PD stepping down and excepting the vote results), but the new government who only had to go and take the candidate status- lost it. Today I feel a political, citizens and national obligation to warn Albanians that we again can loose the status in June for the same reasons," said Basha, who is also the mayor of Tirana.
    These election promises were written by PD on balloons that at the end of the protest were burst.
    February 20th also marks 23rd anniversary fall of the statue of Dictator Enver Hoxha, a symbol that marked the end of communism in the country. In remembrance of this protesters marched from the "Skenderbeu" boulevard where the statue was removed to the office of Prime Minister Edi Rama.
    Rama took the office of the Prime Minister some five months ago, after the polls in which he won the Democratic Party who were in power for eight years.
    Opposition announced even "stronger" new protests.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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