TIRANA, Oct. 26 /ATA/ – The government will amend the law on public assemblies through a normative act, which will then be submitted to parliament for approval, Taulant Balla, head of the ruling Socialist Party’s parliamentary group, said on Monday.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting of the Socialist parliamentary group, Balla outlined how the legal measures included in a package aimed at curbing urban violence would be brought before parliament.
“The law on assemblies will be amended through a normative act. The act is adopted by the government and then by parliament,” Balla said.
He added that work had begun weeks earlier on amendments to bring Albania’s Criminal Code closer into line with those of European Union member states.
“Violence at protests has created the need for the state to have new instruments at its disposal to protect democracy,” he said.
Balla said governments across Europe were taking measures in response to violent protests. He also claimed that the Antifa movement had an influence in Albania and said a global coalition opposed to it existed.
“The greatest absurdity is that they claim to be anti-fascists but behave worse than fascists, because violence of this kind is fascist in principle,” he said.
Asked about the police response to protesters, Balla said Albania’s State Police had acted more moderately than their counterparts in France and Italy.
“Police officers have been repeatedly targeted with stones, pyrotechnic devices and Molotov cocktails. The response of the State Police has been more restrained,” he said.
Balla also alleged, without providing evidence in his remarks, that foreign forces were sponsoring violence in Albania.
He accused the opposition Democratic Party of being the only political force in Europe supporting the use of Molotov cocktails and fireworks and sheltering people accused of violence at its headquarters.
Asked about plans to establish a register of people under investigation for urban violence, Balla said the identification process would also involve the justice system.
Balla also said the government was expected to approve the draft 2027 budget by the end of the week. Parliament is due to approve the timetable for reviewing the budget in parliamentary committees on Thursday.
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