TIRANA, Oct. 14 /ATA/ – Main opposition Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha said on Wednesday that Albania was heading towards a critical situation, accusing the government of deepening the political crisis and pledging full support for student protesters.
Speaking at an evening meeting with Democratic Party branch officials in Tirana, Berisha said the political crisis was worsening daily and described the student protest, which began less than two days earlier, as one of the most powerful student uprisings in the country.
“The crisis of the narco-state is deepening not every week, but every day. In less than two days, the student revolt has effectively gone down as the most powerful student uprising,” Berisha said.
He accused the authorities of using what he called the harshest state violence against peaceful demonstrators, while praising the protesters’ determination.
“The streets and squares of Tirana have never seen lions like these students,” he said.
Berisha said more than 50 students and other citizens had been injured during the protests, citing cases involving leg and femur fractures, as well as head injuries. He added that others had sustained injuries to different parts of their bodies, while some protesters had allegedly been exposed to bear spray or struck by water cannons.
The Democratic Party leader praised the students’ response, describing it as an act of heroism driven by anger against what he called a “narco-dictatorship”.
Berisha said the opposition would support the student protest by every means available and would continue standing alongside demonstrators.
“We will not abandon the students; we will support them by every means and with every resource available. Edi Rama will not face only the students, but the entire opposition and all citizens,” he said.
Berisha called on Prime Minister Edi Rama to resign immediately and urged Albanians to support the students’ demands for the government’s departure.
“I firmly call on him to resign immediately. I urge Albanians to do everything they can to support the students in seeking the departure of Edi Rama and his government,” Berisha said.
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