Albanian Civil Movement Protests Against Demolition of Former Dictator's Mausoleum

An Albanian man takes photographs of his kid at the so-called Pyramide, the International Cultural Center, in Tirana Albania on 21 July 2011. Photo by BGNES

A petition against the demolition of the International Culture Center signed by 6100 citizens has been sent to the Albanian President Bamir Topi by representatives of the movement "Civil Action for the Rescue of the Pyramid".

"The Pyramid", former mausoleum of Stalinist ex-dictator Enver Hoxha, was built in 1988 to commemorate Hoxha's 80th birthday, three years after his death.

The pyramid-shaped cultural centre turned into now one of the capital's most important historical landmarks.

The government, however, has turned a deaf year to objections raised by famous Albanian architects and avid defenders of the building from the opposition, according to a publication of Macedonian online news agency Kurir cited by Bulgarian counterpart CROSS.

Last week Albanian lawmakers approved plans to demolish the building to make way for new parliament.

Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha has said that the new parliament building is to be ready by November 28, 2012, when Albania celebrates its 100th anniversary of independence.

Five days ago, thousands of people gathered in front of the Pyramid to protest against the Parliament's decision to destroy the building.

Ardian Klosi, one of the initiators of the protest movement, declared that the people of Tirana opposed the destructive act, adding that they were hoping that the Albanian head of state would take the necessary measures, with the power vested in him by the Constitution.

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