TIRANA, June 30/ATA/ Albanian Parliament Speaker Niko Peleshi rejected the opposition’s request for an urgent interpellation with Prime Minister Edi Rama regarding citizen protests. Democratic Party MP Gazment Bardhi condemned the move, arguing the rejection targeted Albanian citizens rather than the opposition, and accused Peleshi of protecting the Prime Minister from accountability over constitutional obligations.
“This isn’t a rejection of the opposition, Speaker Peleshi—it is a rejection of the Albanian citizens. You didn’t protect Parliament today; you abandoned your duty to the Constitution just to protect the prime minister from answering for his actions”, said Bardhi.
The ongoing protests go far beyond environmental concerns over flamingos or protected areas. Citizens are directly attacking a system where Edi Rama bends laws to serve private investors over the public good. According to Bardhi, the protesters’ five unified demands are strikes at the core of this system, which aligns them with the EU’s integration conditions and the Democratic Party’s long-standing criticisms.
Bardhi stated that in any true democracy, the opposition’s request for accountability is elementary.
“We demanded that the Prime Minister come to Parliament to explain his government’s actions regarding the European Parliament’s recent report on strategic investments and protected areas. Instead, he treats Parliament as a personal rubber stamp and a shield against corruption. True leaders do not silence citizens or refuse to be held accountable”, concluded Bardhi. /m.q/p.s./
