There is chaos in Albania’s parliament as politicians fight and set fire to each other

Albania’s lawmakers scuffled with guards, shouted slogans and set fire to the parliament during a chaotic session in Tirana on Thursday.

The dispute came amid voting for the country’s next Lokpal, its top human rights official. Albania’s opposition Democratic Party accused the ruling Socialist Party of electoral fraud and subverting democracy, complaints that led to months of protests. Opposition MPs pulled microphones and threw bottles at Speaker Nico Peleschi, who tried to continue the vote.

Peleshi urged MPs to “respect the institution of Parliament”.

“We cannot destroy the state like this,” he said.

During the physical altercation with Parliament guards, opposition MPs refused to vacate the ruling cabinet chairs which they had occupied before the session began.

The protesting MPs were carrying placards with slogans comparing the Prime Minister eddie ram He called Panamanian dictator Manuel Antonio Noriega Moreno the “Noriega of Europe”.

Resignation is one of the main demands of the opposition Deputy Prime Minister and Infrastructure and Energy Minister Belinda Balluku, who has retained her post despite an arrest warrant being issued by the country’s Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime, known as SPAK.

SPAK has accused Balluku of interfering in public procurement processes in several construction projects, and urged the parliament to vote to remove Balluku’s immunity. This issue is to be discussed in the upcoming special session. Balluku has not responded to the allegations against him.

Albania is considered a leader in western balkans to be involved in European Unionwith northern neighbor montenegroHowever, international monitors say the country suffers from widespread corruption and the monopoly of power by the ruling socialist PartyWho is in the government since 2013.