Albania’s final plenary session of the current parliamentary term was marked by tensions both inside and outside the parliament, as opposition lawmakers challenged the procedure used to review a defense agreement with the United States.
Protests by citizens continued outside the parliament building, while lawmakers debated a draft law related to a defense cooperation agreement with Washington, which includes a $302 million loan.
At the start of the session, the parliament rejected a request by opposition MP Agron Shehaj to hold a question-and-answer session with Prime Minister Edi Rama regarding issues related to Porto Romano and the Vlora airport project.
Later, Speaker of Parliament Niko Peleshi introduced the draft law on the defense agreement with the United States. The Democratic Party demanded greater transparency over the content of the agreement, claiming that the document published on the parliament’s website was not accompanied by the necessary explanatory materials.
Peleshi responded by urging MPs to review the agreement through the procedures established by parliament, emphasizing that lawmakers could access the document after signing confidentiality obligations.
“Go and read the agreement. It will not be approved without being studied,” Peleshi said in response to opposition demands.
Democratic Party parliamentary group leader Gazment Bardhi criticized the procedure followed by the ruling majority, arguing that parliament should provide lawmakers with all accompanying documentation.
Bardhi stressed that the opposition was not against the agreement with the United States but opposed what he described as an accelerated approval process. According to him, such a procedure could violate constitutional principles, and he warned that the matter could be taken to the Constitutional Court.
The debate escalated inside the chamber as opposition MPs stood up from their seats and blocked the parliamentary podium in an attempt to prevent the continuation of proceedings.
Despite the objections from the opposition, the parliament approved, with 76 votes in favor, the accelerated procedure for reviewing the defense agreement between Albania and the United States. The final vote on the draft law is scheduled for later today at 17:00.
