Smoke bombs in Albanian parliament, fire also broke out

(Patria) - The session of the Parliament of Albania ended just five minutes after its start because opposition members activated smoke bombs after the majority adopted the budget for the next year.

Opposition representatives also created barricades from chairs, writes ABC News in Albanian.

Former Prime Minister and leader of one of the factions of the opposition Democratic Party, Sali Berisha, tried to break through to the podium. Then MP Gazment Bardi intervened and warned security personnel not to push Berisha.

"You have turned everything into a police state. What do you need all this for, why are you training hard, who are you?" he asked them.

Otherwise, Prime Minister Edi Rama also arrived in parliament today, after several absences, to participate in the session regarding the new budget. Before Rama arrived at the parliament, Berisha criticized him on Facebook, as well as the Speaker of Parliament Lindita Nikolla.

"He (Rama) got scared, he arrived accompanied by a convoy of cars. We are defending our constitutional rights, the rights of the opposition, while the government is protecting thieves. Lindita is being exploited by Rama and is behaving like a person without dignity," he said.

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Agron Gjekmarkaj stated that today's session was "abnormal" because the opposition did not participate, reports Albanian Post.

"Do not turn parliament into a prison. This is not a place only for the majority, while the opposition should remain outside. Everyone has equal rights. This is a real scandal, you have responsibility. Such things happen in authoritarian countries where the opposition is surrounded by security. Such a parliament is not normal," he emphasized, reports Index.hr.