Arta Marku takes oath as Provisory Prosecutor General while opposition supporters clash with Police

The voting was done under protests from opposition MPs, who threw tear firework and tear gas inside the Parliament.

As the voting took place, opposition supporters were seen protesting outside. The situation escalated and protesters clashed with Police. They were seen throwing tear gas against officers and trying to enter the building. The Special Intervention Forces had to intervene for taking the situation under control.

The crowd was dispersed after two hours, while the Democratic Party leader promised that his party would be leading citizens to more protests and that Rama had violated the Constitution by appointing Marku.

The Socialist MP, Taulant Balla, said that if the opposition had any remark against the new Provisory Prosecutor, they should address their concerns at the Constitutional Court, not through violence.

These protests come after the 5-year-term of Prosecutor General Adriatic Llalla was terminated, causing a political stalemate.

The Albanian Constitution, recently amended as part of the Judiciary Reform, states that the new Prosecutor should be appointed by the new High Council of the Prosecution, but this Council has not been created yet.

PM Rama invited the opposition to sit and discuss for a new Provisory Prosecutor until the High Council of Prosecution was created, but the opposition refused and said that the only way to appoint a new Prosecutor was by respecting the Constitution and by creating the High Council of Prosecution. They urged the government to work with them for establishing this Council instead, and leave current Prosecutor Adriatik Llalla on duty until then.

One of the reasons that the High Council for Prosecution has not been established yet, is that there are no members of the Civil Society who are qualified for the task. Rama rejected the opposition’s request to let Llalla in power longer than his term, and, quoting the legal advice received from OPDAT and EURALIUS, which are the US and EU missions in Albania, the Prime Minister decided to use another option for appointing a new Provisory Prosecutor General, the one with only the votes of the majority.

This decision caused outrage among opposition members, who accused Prime Minister Rama of trying to undermine many investigations started by the current Prosecution against his former Interior Minister, Saimir Tahiri, and other Mayors of important cities, who, according to the opposition, are involved in serious crimes.

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