2017 Albanian opposition protest | |||
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The Tent of Freedom, where the opposition held daily meetings with the supporters during the protest
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Date | 18 February 2017 – 18 May 2017 (3 months) |
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Location | Albania | ||
Caused by |
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Goals | |||
Methods | Demonstrations, civil disobedience, civil resistance, election boycott | ||
Status | ongoing | ||
Parties to the civil conflict | |||
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Lead figures | |||
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The 2017 Albanian opposition protest is a series of ongoing anti-government protests focused in Tirana following a long political conflict over the level of government corruption, the drug's situation in Albania[1] and the fear of electoral fraud in the upcoming parliamentary elections, accusing the socialist government of trying to manipulate the voting process.[2][3]
Thousands of protesters gathered on the main boulevard in Tirana, on February 18 to demand free elections and a technocrat government, after that a tent was pitched and it was called by the opposition as The Tent of Freedom, from where the opposition held daily meetings with the supporters. During that day it was announced that the opposition will boycott the parliament until the government will accept to dialogue with the government, on forming a technocrat government.
Contents
Background
The drug situation in Albania and the war on illegal trade became a big problem and concern for the international community.[4] In the months before the protest, Albania was being called by many as the Cannabis Capital of Europe or Europe's Colombia. Albania has had problems with cannabis farming in the past, but 2016 deserved to be called the year of cannabis. According to the Albanian police, over 2.5 million cannabis plants were destroyed and 5,204 fields identified. The new element is the geographic spread throughout the entire country. The drug lords had also changed their strategy and the opposition accused the government, especially the than Minister of Interior Affairs of Albania, Saimir Tahiri, of being involved in the cannabis production.[5]
In the beginning of 2017, the Democratic Party started raising concerns on the upcoming electoral process, calling for an electronic voting and counting process in June to prevent vote manipulation.[6] The government considered the implementation of an electronic voting system as impossible, due to limited time until the June elections and accused the opposition of blocking the integration process in EU and the passing of the key judicial reform.
The Protest
The protest started on February 18. A week prior to that it was announced in the Albanian parliament, by democrat MP's that the opposition will boycott the parliament because of the current situation in the country. They demanded free elections and called a massive protest to be held on Saturday. During the protests thousands gathered in front of the Prime Minister's office, accusing the government of trying to manipulate the voting process. The Democratic Party was joined by other smaller parties like the Republican Party, the Unity for Human Rights Party, representing the Greek minority in Albania, the Environmentalist Agrarian Party, the Christian Democratic Party, Red and Black Alliance etc.
After the rally it was announced that a tent would be pitched and that the demonstrations would continue until the governing coalition between Edi Rama and Ilir Meta would accept the opposition conditions on forming a technocrat government to take the country to free and fair elections in June.[7]
On March the 12th, four ministers, including Saimir Tahiri, resign as tensions rise. Rama has stated that he won’t step back and that his centre-left government is committed to making sure that the elections are free and fair. He has also accused the opposition of using the protests to obstruct the reform process, in order to prevent certain judges from being vetted.[8]
The protest further escalated on calling a possible boycott of the upcoming elections. On 4 April Basha warned that the opposition parties might boycott June legislative elections if their demands are not met. The 9th of April was the final deadline for all the parties to submit lists of candidates for the 18 June vote, and as stated none of the opposition parties registered for the process.[9] They would also boycott the local elections to be held in Kavaja municipality on May 7, after the former mayor, Elvis Roshi, was dismissed after it was found that he had hidden his criminal past convictions.[10] On April 5, the right wing city counselors in Tirana, boycotted the City Council meeting, in sign of solidarity with the Opposition’s protest being held. After Rama turned down the right-wing opposition's request for the creation of a caretaker government, LSI the major government ally announced that it wouldn't take part in an election without the opposition, considering it as not normal for a country aspiring to join the EU and a current member of NATO.
On April 14 an information spread in different media portals, saying that a plot was being organized against the leader of the opposition on a possible scenario that aims at destabilizing the country. Some medias even accused Russia of being behind the plot. Later that night it was confirmed by the highest authorities, including the President and the Prime Minister. After the confirmation from the state Basha’s security had been increased due to the threat.[11]
On April 25 two MEP's Knut Fleckenstein and David McAllister came to Tirana to mediate a solution to the ongoing deadlock, but with no results.[12] A day prior to that protesters blocked several main roads for one hour, escalating their two-month-old protest for a caretaker government to oversee the June 18 general elections. Party leader Lulzim Basha joined supporters sitting at a crossroads on the outskirts of Tirana where traffic comes off a main highway, and praised their peacefulness and "European culture". There were other sit-ins near highways in northern, central and southern Albania.[13]
On May 5, the Prime Minister Rama announced that his party would withdraw the candidate for the Kavaja elections, which were called off until further discussion with the opposition and real dialogue.[14] By the opposition it was claimed as the biggest victory since the start of the protest.
On May 13 another protest was called in Tirana by the Democratic Party and the opposition coalition, with the main aim to institutionalize what they called “The New Republic, as an entire nation will gather to demand free and fair elections.”[15]
Aftermath
On 17 May the political parties, represented in the Parliament held a meeting, initiated by two of the opposition parties: Republican Party of Albania and the Environmentalist Agrarian Party. All the party leaders attended the meeting, which continued until the early hours of the 18th of May with Basha and Rama discussing the offered solution package from David McAllister which was called McAllister+. The solution came after the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs of the US State Department, Hoyt Brian Yee, visited Albania, setting a deadline for the leaders to find a solution to the political crisis.[16]
The agreement proposed changes in the government cabinet, one Vice-Prime Minister to the opposition, the postponement of the election date and an electronic voters identification system.[17]
After more than 5 hours of negotiations both parties signed an agreement, postponing the elections by a week. The new election date will be June 25. The government will give to the opposition the post of Vice-Prime Minister, 6 ministerial positions including the Minister of Internal Affairs, Minister of Justice, Minister of Education and Minister of Finances.[18][19]
Reactions
Domestic
- The President of Albania proposed an initiative and urged to sit with all the political parties to dialogue.
- Ilir Meta, Speaker of the Parliament and head of the SMI, the main government ally expressed his sorrow for the lack of political dialogue and that SMI will continue to act in the best interest of the dialogue and an electoral process that meets EU standards.[20]
International
- Europe - The EU condemned the protests saying that issues regarding the elections should be solved in parliament. Earlier, in January, the EU stressed the importance of free and fair elections, saying they are necessary if Albania wants to hold accession talks with the EU.[21] Commissioner Johannes Hahn said he regretted the parliamentary boycott announced by the opposition and that the cooperation of government and opposition is crucial for the country's ambition to join the European Union.
- Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe - The OSCE expressed their concern that the political situation and lack of dialogue between the parties could undermine the upcoming electoral process in the country.[22]
- Austria - The Austrian ambassador in Albania stated: "The most important thing is that the political parties sit and dialogue with each other, because dialogue is the essence of democracy. The most important thing is that the political parties participate in the electoral process. Elections are the basis of democracy”.[23]
- Germany - Albania’s rapporteur in the European Parliament, the German MEP, Knut Fleckenstein, says that it’s not the end of the world if the country forms a technocrat government, but this must be discussed by the political parties in Albania. He demanded the opposition to return to Parliament, and on the other hand stated that for as long as it’s peaceful, a protest is the right of everyone.[24]
- United States - Members of a delegation of the U.S. House of Representatives who visited Albania on the 11th of May, urged all parties to come together and work out their differences. They also highlighted the importance of implementing the judicial reform, and also emphasized the importance of all parties participating in the democratic process.[25]
See also
References
- ^ http://www.dw.com/en/albania-europes-cannabis-paradise/a-36983338
- ^ https://www.reuters.com/article/us-albania-opposition-protests-idUSKBN15X0OI
- ^ http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/albanian-opposition-continue-the-protest-amid-eu-disapproval-02-23-2017
- ^ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/luke-coffey/albanias-deep-rooted-drug_b_12311366.html
- ^ https://www.occrp.org/en/daily/5238-albania-opposition-accuses-interior-minister-of-protecting-balkan-escobar
- ^ http://www.dw.com/en/albania-opposition-protests-for-free-elections-and-end-to-corruption/a-37619901
- ^ http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/02/18/albanian-opposition-democrats-in-protest-for-free-election.html
- ^ http://www.intellinews.com/albanian-pm-reshuffles-cabinet-as-opposition-threatens-to-boycott-election-117444/
- ^ https://www.euractiv.com/section/enlargement/news/albanian-opposition-threatens-to-boycott-elections/
- ^ http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/opposition-in-albania-declares-boycott-on-scheduled-june-elections-04-10-2017#sthash.are9QVPV.dpuf
- ^ http://www.tiranatimes.com/?p=132013
- ^ https://europeanwesternbalkans.com/2017/04/25/mcalliser-and-fleckenstein-meet-albanian-political-leaders/
- ^ https://www.reuters.com/article/us-albania-protests-idUSKBN17Q13Y
- ^ https://www.ata.gov.al/en/socialists-withdraw-candidate-from-kavaja-local-by-elections-pm-rama-urges-opposition-leader-to-accept-compromise-offer/
- ^ https://europeanwesternbalkans.com/2017/05/12/basha-may-13-opposition-protest-to-institutionalize-new-republic/
- ^ http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/albanian-politicians-end-impasse-postponing-polls-47480186
- ^ http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/albanian-parties-negotiating-the-end-of-political-stalemate-05-16-2017
- ^ https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2017-05-18/albanian-politicians-end-impasse-over-june-18-vote
- ^ http://www.albaniannews.com/index.php?idm=13019&mod=2
- ^ http://www.albaniannews.com/index.php?idm=12346&mod=2
- ^ https://www.europeanforum.net/headlines/four-ministers-resign-in-albania-as-tensions-rise-ahead-of-june-elections
- ^ http://www.albaniannews.com/index.php?idm=12329&mod=2
- ^ http://www.oranews.tv/ora-english/austrian-ambassador-on-elections-johan-sattler-all-parties-should-participate-in-elections/
- ^ http://afp.al/en/news/2017/03/fleckenstein-dp-must-return-to-parliament-the-creation-of-a-technocrat-government-is-not-the-end-of-the-world-11758/
- ^ https://www.ata.gov.al/en/members-of-u-s-congress-delegation-urge-albanian-parties-to-come-together-work-out-differences/