The US Embassy condemns the violent acts of the opposition on May 11th, and after underlining that peaceful protests are essential for democracy, violence and fore have no place in a democratic process.
“Peaceful demonstrations are essential to healthy democracies, and the right of citizens to assemble and to protest against their government is fundamental. Force and violence, however, have no place in the democratic process. We condemn the violence that took place during the May 11 protests in Tirana and those responsible. The violence resulted in both injuries and property damage, including damage to the residence of the OSCE ambassador. These violent actions were unlawful and undemocratic. We call on opposition leaders, in particular Democratic Party Chair Lulzim Basha and LSI Chair Monika Kryemadhi to condemn publicly the violent acts of their supporters, to cooperate with any investigations aimed at identifying the individual perpetrators and holding them accountable, and to ensure that all future public protests are orderly and peaceful. Law enforcement authorities also have a responsibility to act with restraint, including when responding to provocations. Violent demonstrations are damaging Albania’s democratic reform efforts and the country’s prospects for moving forward on the EU path. The United States urges all sides to step back from confrontation and engage in a constructive dialogue aimed at bringing an end to the political impasse.”
British Embassy was on the same line:
“The right to protest is an essential ingredient of a healthy democracy. But protests must be peaceful.
We condemn the violence that took place during the 11 May protest which injured both police and protesters and caused damage to property.
We ask the Opposition leaders to condemn violence and to ensure that the protests they hold are peaceful and held in accordance with the law.
We also call for the police to show restraint and to respect the rule of law that they uphold. We condemn wholeheartedly the intimidation of the OSCE Ambassador and the damage caused to his official residence. There is no place for such action in a modern democracy.
We call on all sides to enter into dialogue which is the only way in which the current impasse can be resolved. Violence and rhetoric are not the answer.
There were other reactions by the German and Italian embassies as well.
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