TIRANA, June 25 /ATA/ The DP parliamentary group chairman Gazemnd Bardhi said the ruling majority had dismissed three opposition requests concerning issues raised by citizens protesting in Tirana for the past 26 days.
He said the protests had attracted the attention of several European parliaments and lawmakers, while Albania’s parliament remained the only institution that had downplayed the concerns brought up by demonstrators.
“The Democratic Party parliamentary group has listened to and taken into account the concerns of citizens who have been protesting on Tirana’s main boulevard for the past 26 days. The protest has drawn the attention of several European parliaments and was also raised by members of the European Parliament during its most recent plenary session. The only parliament that has paid no attention to the concerns of citizens is the Parliament of Albania,” said Bardhi.
Bardhi said the Democratic Party parliamentary group has submitted a request for an urgent interpellation with the Prime Minister to obtain information on whether the government has taken measures to address citizens’ concerns.
He also said the group has requested a motion for debate on the issue, as well as discussion of the European Parliament resolution.
Bardhi said the Democratic Party parliamentary group has submitted an urgent interpellation request to the Prime Minister seeking information on whether any measures have been taken to address citizens’ concerns.
He added that the group has also requested a motion for debate on the issue, as well as discussion of a European Parliament resolution setting out obligations for the Republic of Albania in the context of EU integration. According to him, all three requests were dismissed on the same day without justification by the governing majority, which he said falsely accused the opposition of trying to speak on behalf of protesters.
Bardhi said the aim of the request is to ensure citizens’ concerns are debated in parliament rather than ignored.
“We have not claimed to act as spokespeople for the citizens, but we cannot pretend that we do not live in Albania. That is why we have requested a debate in the Parliament of Albania; we cannot behave as if citizens have no concerns. All three of our requests are legitimate. The right to request a motion for debate is a right laid down in the Rules of Procedure of Parliament,” said Gazment Bardhi.
He stressed that the concerns of protesting citizens are also reflected in the European Parliament resolution.
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