Parliament passes Bank of Albania law by 84 votes as PD lights flares in the chamber

The Socialist majority on Thursday passed the bill “On the Bank of Albania” by 84 votes, in a plenary session held as the opposition blocked the rostrum and set off smoke canisters and flares. According to Euronews Albania, 81 votes came from the Socialist Party (PS) and 3 from the Social Democratic Party, while the only absent Socialist was Ceno Klosi. Prime Minister Edi Rama and Belinda Balluku came to the chamber to make up the votes needed, and Rama left after the vote.

What the law says

Under the new provision, Governor Gent Sejko cannot be placed under arrest or subjected to a personal or home search without Parliament's prior authorization when the case concerns the exercise of his duties. Reporter.al (BIRN) writes that the law does not exempt the governor from investigation or criminal liability, but sets a parliamentary filter between the justice bodies and the central bank. In the version published for consultation in July, the authorization rested with the Constitutional Court.

Experts have questioned whether the provision is compatible with the Constitution and the principle of equality before the law. Within the majority, lawmaker Damian Gjiknuri called the guarantees excessive, while Socialist group leader Taulant Balla argued that the law puts the governor on a par with his EU counterparts.

Chaos in the chamber

The session opened in tension at 10 a.m., when lawmakers of the Democratic Party (PD) banged on their desks and blocked the rostrum with posters from the protests. Speaker Niko Peleshi stripped Sali Berisha of the floor for the whole day after he said from the rostrum that majority lawmakers “deserve the tear gas and the rubber bullets,” calling it an incitement to violence. Berisha demanded that Parliament be dissolved. After two suspensions, Peleshi expelled four opposition lawmakers and moved straight to the vote, as smoke canisters were lit and objects thrown from the PD benches.