Vlorë, tension from PD
Police director: We are helpless against confrontations. We could not guarantee the rally
Page 3
By Miro Mifol
Today, for the third time in Vlorë and its surroundings, a demonstration against the government was expected from supporters of the Democratic Party under the leadership of its chairman, former president Sali Berisha. As has happened before and after other rallies, the police organized a series of measures, but also made statements that they were powerless to guarantee security for this kind of demonstration.
Throughout the week, Vlorë had been facing an opposition surge, from persona non grata, because of bandit and anti-Albanian acts against the nation and the country. The tension and revolt and indignation in the city went beyond their arrivals. The city of Vlorë reacted and was especially outraged against the arrival there of the man who became synonymous with destruction and disaster in the former oil capital. Ironically, senior officials of the Democratic Party stated that their actions in the south and especially in Vlorë were meant to rally the party, but also to expose the current government for the crises and anarchy it is experiencing and facing. However, this mood was entering the path of the March events; this very mood may be clearly understood from a statement given to our newspaper by the PD spokesman, Ferdinand Xhaferraj. This time, the aim was to permanently soften the protests with weapons until the government of Fatos Nano completely falls. Seeing the day before, with a rapid movement and mainly in the city of Vlorë, opposition leaders and members, the police forces undertook a series of measures around Friday. Not only that, but to act on several levels, to stop and ease the crowds that would gather on Saturday in Vlorë, a checkpoint was also set up to collect the tax cards of everyone driving from the south to Vlorë. Even now, on the eve of a difficult day for everyone and especially for public order and peace, the Council of Ministers called on citizens and political entities not to organize or take part in gatherings and activities that incite violence and unrest. Describing such a situation as an attempt to destabilize and a challenge to the rule of law, the Council of Ministers stressed that those acts are contrary to the Constitution and Albanian laws. In a statement, the Public Order Directorate of Vlorë announced that, since Friday, taking as a pretext its tendencies and its actions to disrupt public order and peace in the city of Vlorë, the entry into the city of Vlorë of the former head of the PD branch, Vasil Bedin, has been prohibited. Still now, in order to further prevent opposition deputies and figures who incite unrest and instability from entering Vlorë, the city’s main entrance has been blocked with checkpoints. To block entry into Vlorë during Saturday and prevent the entry of opposition forces led by former president Berisha, the public order police and the intelligence service have been put on full alert. Meanwhile, police forces have since yesterday morning begun escorting and checking vehicles and buses from Tirana in a special way. Even now, the police authorities make it clear to all citizens of Vlorë that, according to them, opposition supporters will not be able to enter the city during Saturday for the rally, although the latter had been announced for Thursday, but was then postponed by the organizers to today.
They refuse $7.7 million in annual profits; We rank first in the world for income relative to population
Azem Hajdari at the press conference after Monday’s latest incident