Albania: 24 Opposition MPs temporarily expelled from Parliament for burning chairs

Albania's Customs Secretariat has said late Wednesday that it has temporarily expelled 24 opposition deputies from the Parliament's plenary sessions because it burned chairs in front of the institution building two days ago.

The secretariat decided that the head of the opposition Democratic Party parliamentary group Gazmend Bardi, along with the party's secretary-general, Flamur Noka, and MP Bledion Nallbati, will be expelled for 60 days from the plenary sessions each.

While 20 other MPs have been expelled for 40 days. Another MP has been expelled for 10 days from parliamentary sessions.

The decision goes into effect from Thursday, October 3rd, when the next session will take place in Albania's Assembly, the Ethic Secretariat said.

On September 30th, Democratic Party deputies pulled out of the Parliament hall their chairs and set fire to protest MP's detention Ervin Salianji. They also requested a technical Government, which after them would lead the country to the upcoming parliamentary elections.

The decision on their expulsion was made following a group of MPs' request from the ruling Socialist Party shortly after the September 30th session, which was accompanied by acts of violence within the Parliament outside.

Gazmend White rejected Ethics' decision through a response to social networks.

The rejection of the opposition for months by the Parliament proves how small and cowardly Edi Rama is! You'll have us in front or out of the country! That's the crime hall you set fire to”, the Whites wrote on the social networks.

Among those disfellowshipped by 40 days from the work of the Assembly is PD deputy chairman Agron Gekmarkaj, who has praised the decision as “the Parliament's deputy chairman”.

The “is a sign of the degradation of this Assembly and, above all, of this misgovernance, that once it is decompressed, it will cover with political imprisonment. From Monday, the confrontation begins every day, and anywhere,”, Gekmarkaj wrote.

The meeting of the Ethic Secretariat was accompanied by controversy after a group of opposition deputies tried to prevent its development. After a few moments of tension, the meeting was interrupted and followed only by members of the majority.

The United States and the European Union have expressed concern and regret over the scenes that were seen on September 30th in Albania's Parliament and called on power and opposition to develop dialogue.

Tirana police have referred to the Special Prosecutor, opposition deputies who became part of the move. /rel