Parliament
Ethics panel bars Berisha for 10 days and five PD lawmakers for 60; Berisha calls it unconstitutional
The Secretariat for Procedures, Voting and Ethics penalized the PD leader and five Democratic lawmakers after the chaos of the Oct. 29 session; Berisha said the measure runs counter to the Constitution.
By ANN Newsroom · Newsroom
October 30, 2026, 21:10 · Updated 19:02 · 2 min read
In brief
- According to media reports, Berisha was barred for 10 days, while Vokshi, Mziu, Kaso, Nallbati and Himçi were barred for 60 days each; no measure was taken against Klodiana Çapja.
- The penalty followed the Oct. 29 session, in which PD lawmakers lit flares, threw objects and blocked the speaker's podium.
- Berisha told A2 CNN that PD supports the student protest but is not its organizer.
Parliament's Secretariat for Procedures, Voting and Ethics on Friday reviewed a request by a group of Socialist lawmakers for disciplinary measures against the opposition. According to media reports, Democratic Party (PD) leader Sali Berisha was barred from proceedings for 10 days, accused of using unparliamentary language in the Oct. 29 session and language that, according to the Socialists, incites hatred and violence.
60 days for five lawmakers
Lawmakers Albana Vokshi, Xhelal Mziu, Ivi Kaso, Bledion Nallbati and Blendi Himçi were each barred for 60 days, while no measure was taken against Klodiana Çapja. The penalty relates to incidents in the plenary session the day before, when Democratic lawmakers lit flares, threw objects and blocked the podium, interrupting proceedings. The Socialist Party (PS) had sought a two-month exclusion for six lawmakers.
Berisha: A lawmaker is free to speak
In the evening, on A2 CNN's “ÇdoKënd” program, Berisha challenged the decision. “This is an exclusion that runs counter to the fundamental principles of Albania's Constitution, over my statement, on which a lawmaker is free to speak in Parliament,” he said. The Democratic leader did not back down from his accusations against majority lawmakers, whom he held responsible for violence against students, and said he was ready to substantiate them before the public.
PD and the student protest
Berisha also clarified the party's position on the student protest. According to him, it was called by the Universities' Union on Oct. 13 in front of the Ministry of Education, and PD's Youth Forum structures joined the call. “Our structures in universities and high schools answered the call to protest, but we are not the organizers,” he said, adding that PD has supported the student revolt from the start.
