Albanian PM Accuses Opposition of Coup Attempt

Albanian PM Sali Berisha has raised the alert of an alleged coup against him and has refused to accept the blame for violent Friday protests that resulted in three deaths. Photo by EPA/BGNES

Albanian PM Sali Berisha has accused the opposition Socialist Party of trying to overthrow government with violence, following Friday clashes that resulted in the deaths of three persons.

"The leader of the socialist opposition and Tirana mayor Edi Rama is trying to organize a violent coup-d'?tat, creating a Tunisian scenario for Albania," exclaimed Berisha at a press-conference overnight.

He moreover stated that the wounds of the three persons shot dead do not come from police weapons, blaming the socialists on the deaths.

Socialist leader Rama retorted by saying that the 20,000 protesters gathered Friday were provoked to riot by security personnel, accusing the government of a "state crime."

He said that the country is in a "deep crisis" and accused those in power of "political blindness."

The protests were sparked after vice-PM and Minister of Economy Ilir Meta resigned in the wake of a major corruption scandal, and the Socialist Party renewed requests for snap elections.

Albania has been gripped by a great political rift ever since general elections in June 2009, when Socialists claimed that Berisha's Democratic Party forged the results to achieve a remarkably close win.

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