Albanian police fire teargas as protesters storm party offices

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TIRANA (Reuters) – Albanian police fired teargas and water cannons on Saturday as stone-throwing protesters stormed into the headquarters of the opposition Democratic Party in a deepening energy battle between party rivals.

The protesters have been supporters of former Albanian president and prime minister Sali Berisha, who was thrown out of the party final yr after Washington banned him from coming into the United States over alleged corruption.

Berisha, who denies wrongdoing, has since mounted a management problem towards party chief Lulzim Basha. Last month, Berisha known as a party meeting and introduced himself as chief.

During Saturday’s unrest, Berisha supporters used hammers to smash open newly put in metallic safety doorways on the offices and threw up ladders in a bid to succeed in the second flooring.

Local media mentioned individuals contained in the constructing had sought to maintain the protesters out by spraying fire extinguishers earlier than police arrived.

The U.S. ambassador in Albania Yuri Kim mentioned her administration was deeply involved about latest stress surrounding the Democratic Party.

“Those inciting violence or undermining the rule of regulation can be held accountable,” Kim mentioned in a tweet.

(Reporting by Fatos Bytyci in Pristina and Florion Goga in Tirana; Editing by Daria Sito-Sucic and Helen Popper)



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