Albania’s parliament moved to online sessions on Wednesday after physical clashes between opposition and majority MPs two days ago resulted in the interruption of a parliamentary session.
The clashes came after proposals to set up six parliamentary inquiry commissions were not accepted by parliament and after six opposition MPs were temporarily banned from participating in sessions by the head of parliament.
Tensions were repeated on Wednesday, when the head of the opposition Democratic Party parliamentary group, Gazmend Bardhi, tried to enter the room where parliament’s presidency was holding a meeting. Bardhi was prevented from accessing the meeting. A video from the event shows him arguing with the head of parliament Lindita Nikolla.
Responding to this, parliament informed MPs on Wednesday that the scheduled meeting of the Parliamentary Commission of the Economy would be held online. “We inform you that today’s meeting of the Committee for Economy and Finance will take place online at 16:15. You can follow the meeting on FB (Facebook) and the website of the Assembly,” the announcement said.
The Democratic Party parliamentary group, in a statement on Wednesday, protested against the decision, saying meetings could be held online only in case of emergencies.
The Socialist Party said it had taken the clashes to the Special Prosecution Against Corruption and Organized Crime, SPAK. The head of its parliamentary group, Bledi Çuçi, announced a criminal complaint and said the Socialists will not tolerate acts of violence.
“On behalf of the Parliamentary Group of the Socialist Party, I have signed a criminal complaint against MP Bledjon Nallbati for the physical violence exercised in the last session against MP Vullnet Sina,” he said .
