Albanian Opposition Continues Parliament Disruptions Amid Corruption Allegations

Protests could hinder Albania's EU harmonization process as the opposition demands the right to establish investigative committees.

Albanian opposition parties have been disrupting Parliament for months, protesting what they describe as the authoritarian rule of the governing Socialist Party.
The opposition is protesting the use of Public Private Partnership projects, claiming the public money from these projects has been misused for personal profit.
The governing Socialists, led by Prime Minister Edi Rama, hold a majority in Parliament and recently passed the 2024 budget despite the opposition's protests.
The opposition's protests began in October, around the time prosecutors accused Sali Berisha, former prime minister and president and now the main leader of the center-right Democratic Party, of corruption over a land-buying scheme.
The opposition's disruptions may hinder much-needed reforms as the European Union has agreed to start the process of harmonizing Albanian laws with those of the EU.