Gazment Bardhi: Violence against students is unacceptable, detainees must be released without delay

Gazment Bardhi, chairman of the Democratic Party’s Parliamentary Group, reacted after clashes were recorded between protesting students and police forces near the Ministry of Education in Tirana.

Bardhi condemned what he described as police violence against the students, who, according to him, were exercising their constitutional right to protest.

He also spoke about the situation at the Trauma Hospital, where Democratic MPs Jorida Tabaku and Tritan Shehu are staying. According to his claim, no police officers are hospitalized there, while at least 3 citizens with serious injuries are receiving medical care.

The leader of the DP Parliamentary Group called on students and citizens from Tirana and across Albania to join the protest, regardless of their political affiliation or ideological beliefs. He linked this mobilization to the student movement of 1991.

Bardhi declared that the demands of the students, lecturers and citizens are legitimate and that the opposition fully supports them. He said that the demands of farmers, miners, garment workers and members of the liberal professions also have only one solution, which he identified as the immediate departure of Prime Minister Edi Rama.

In his reaction, he called for the immediate release of those detained, whom he described as having been unlawfully detained. Bardhi also called for those responsible for, and those who ordered, the violence during the protest to be held accountable.

“We strongly condemn the brutal violence by the police of the narco-state against the students, who are exercising their constitutional right to protest,” Bardhi declared.

He added that, contrary to what the Government had stated, no police officers were hospitalized at the Trauma Hospital, where MPs Jorida Tabaku and Tritan Shehu are staying, while at least 3 citizens with serious injuries are receiving medical treatment.

“We call on every male and female student, every free citizen of Tirana and all of Albania, regardless of party or ideology, to join the student youth, just as in 1991,” he said.

“We emphasize that the demands of the students, lecturers and citizens are legitimate, and we fully support them. Likewise, for these demands and many others—for farmers, miners, garment workers and members of the liberal professions—there is only one solution: the immediate departure of Edi Rama, the head of the narco-state,” Bardhi continued.

“We demand the immediate release of those unlawfully detained and the punishment of the perpetrators and those who ordered the bestial violence!” concluded the chairman of the DP Parliamentary Group.