TIRANA, Dec 18 (Reuters) – Opposition lawmakers scuffled with police inside the Albanian parliament on Thursday, following weeks of tensions over corruption allegations against the deputy of Prime Minister Edi Rama and other officials.
Lawmakers lit flares, threw water at the speaker and occupied seats reserved for government ministers in a bid to disrupt the session, before police intervened.
“There could be no parliament with those who steal and run,” said Sali Berisha, the leader of the opposition Democratic Party. “The law and only the law must prevail.”
Opposition lawmakers were demanding to see the formal allegations submitted against Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku.
The Special Prosecution Office, tasked with fighting corruption and organized crime, has asked parliament to allow Balluku’s arrest and the legislature, where Rama’s ruling party has a majority, is expected to vote on the request on Friday.
Balluku, who also served as minister of infrastructure and energy and is Rama’s closest cabinet ally, is alleged to have participated in corrupt practices intended to favour companies responsible for major infrastructure projects, including a tunnel and the ring road in the capital, Tirana.
She referred to the accusations in parliament last month as “mudslinging, insinuations, half-truths and lies”, and said she would fully cooperate with the judiciary.
(Reporting by Florion Goga, writing by Fatos Bytyci, Editing by Alex Richardson)
