Disruptions continue as Democratic Party returns to Albanian Parliament

The Democratic Party (DP) opposition returned to the Albanian Parliament today, following a ruling by the Administrative Court that annulled the suspension of several MPs involved in the altercations and violence of the September 30 session. The court’s decision, which deemed the suspensions disproportionate, allows all DP MPs to resume parliamentary duties. Despite their return, the session quickly devolved into tension, with accusations and disorder continuing to dominate.

Why is this important: The Administrative Court’s ruling came just one day after the DP announced its return to parliamentary activities. Hopes for a return to normalcy were slim, and the speed with which the session descended into insults and aggressive attacks against Socialist representatives confirmed that the decision to participate in Parliament was more tactical than conciliatory, with disruption still prevailing.

Context: On September 30th, Democratic Party MPs staged protests inside and outside Parliament, attacking the Speaker and burning chairs to express their outrage over the Court of Appeals’ confirmation of a guilty verdict against one of their MPs. In response, the Ethics Secretariat of Parliament suspended over 20 DP MPs for up to 60 days. The recent court ruling reduced or annulled these suspensions, facilitating the opposition’s return.

During today’s session, Democrats wasted no time launching a barrage of insults and attacks against their Socialist colleagues. Gazment Bardhi, leader of the DP parliamentary group, called for Speaker Elisa Spiropali’s resignation, accusing her of undermining democratic norms and employing security forces to block opposition MPs from carrying out their duties. Other Democratic MPs directed personal attacks at the Speaker.

Attacks on Minister of Interior: Following their assault on the Speaker, Democrats targeted the Minister of Interior. The Freedom Party, led by former president Ilir Meta and an ally of the Democrats, demanded that the Minister disclose the names of the police officers involved in the arrest of the former President, whose identities remain protected for security reasons.

Socialist response: Speaking on behalf of the Socialist Party, Minister of State Taulant Balla emphasized that while the Administrative Court had softened the disciplinary measures, it did not undermine their legitimacy. He called for order and urged a focus on pressing legislative priorities, such as the national budget. Blendi Klosi, Secretary General of the Socialist Party, criticized the opposition’s behavior and warned that acts of violence and destruction would be penalized in strict accordance with the law and parliamentary regulations.

Niko Peleshi, head of the Socialist Parliamentary Group, called on the opposition to respect all court decisions. He pointed out the inconsistency of the opposition, which embraced the ruling allowing their MPs to return to Parliament but protested any unfavorable judicial decisions, often resorting to destructive actions.

Continued friction: Despite the ruling, more than 20 opposition MPs remain partially restricted from some parliamentary activities, such as participating in commission work. The Democratic Party continues to push for the full lifting of these restrictions, but the atmosphere remains highly charged.

What’s next: There were hopes that the DP’s return to Parliament would lead to a constructive focus on holding the government accountable, particularly during discussions on the national budget. However, given the tumultuous start of today’s session, there is little optimism that parliamentary proceedings will return to normalcy or foster meaningful dialogue anytime soon.