Protests Erupt in Tirana: Opposition Demands Technocratic Cabinet

Albania's main opposition party staged a protest in Tirana, blocking major intersections to demand a technocratic caretaker cabinet before upcoming elections. Led by Sali Berisha, the activists accuse Prime Minister Edi Rama's government of corruption and election manipulation. The protest heightened tensions, with calls for Rama's removal and clashes with police.

Albania's capital, Tirana, witnessed significant unrest as members of the country's main opposition party took to the streets, blocking key intersections in a strong demonstration against the current administration.

The protest, organized by the center-right Democratic Party and its leader Sali Berisha, who was recently released from house arrest, demanded the establishment of a technocratic caretaker cabinet ahead of the parliamentary elections set for next year. They accuse Prime Minister Edi Rama's left-wing government of rampant corruption and electoral manipulation.

Authorities deployed hundreds of police officers to maintain order, resulting in clashes after efforts to clear the intersections. The ongoing discontent underscores divisions in Albania, which is striving to align with the European Union's standards on governance, rule of law, and corruption ahead of its aim to join the bloc by 2030.

(With inputs from agencies.)