Albania opposition activists rally on streets of Tirana to demand government steps aside

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Members of Albania’s main opposition party on Monday blocked the capital Tirana’s main intersections in an anti-government protest calling for a technocratic caretaker cabinet ahead of next year's parliamentary elections.

In the first rally after their leader was released from the house arrest, activists linked to the main center-right Democratic Party defied the cold and rain to block traffic at five main intersections. The protesters accuse the left-wing government of Prime Minister Edi Rama of corruption, manipulating elections and usurping the powers of the judiciary.

Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha, 80, was released last month from house arrest imposed after he violated a court order. Berisha is charged with corruption.

“There is no election with Rama. With Rama there is only a battle for elections. Elections will never be boycotted," said Berisha. "Our battle is unstoppable until his (Rama) overthrow,” he added.

Hundreds of police officers were deployed to protect government buildings and keep streets clear for traffic. After 90 minutes, the authorities began to push the protesters away from the intersections, which raised the tension and led to some clashes.

Earlier this year the conservative Democratic Party and its opposition coalition backers held protests over the arrests of Berisha and former President Ilir Meta in separate corruption cases, saying the charges are politically motivated.

The United States and the European Union have urged the opposition to resume dialogue with the government, saying violence won’t help the country integrate into the 27-nation EU.

Tirana has entered talks with the EU on alignment on issues including the rule of law, tackling corruption, security and defense. Albania aims to join the bloc by 2030, according to Rama.

Albania will hold parliamentary election on May 11 when voters living abroad will for the first time be able to cast ballots from overseas.

Post-communist elections in Albania have often been marred by irregularities, including vote-buying and the manipulation of ballot counts.

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Police block opposition protesters during an anti-government rally asking for a technocratic caretaker Cabinet, in Tirana, Albania, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj)

Police block opposition protesters during an anti-government rally asking for a technocratic caretaker Cabinet, in Tirana, Albania, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj)

Police block opposition protesters during an anti-government rally asking for a technocratic caretaker Cabinet, in Tirana, Albania, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj)

Opposition leader Sali Berisha joins his supporters during an anti-government protest, after he was released from the house arrest, asking for a technocratic caretaker Cabinet, in Tirana, Albania, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj)

GUAYAQUIL, Ecuador (AP) — Under pressure from human rights organizations and fellow Ecuadorians, President Daniel Noboa on Monday said his government will not cover up for anyone involved in the disappearance of four children who were last seen running away from a military convoy.

Noboa, in an interview with a local radio station, promised answers in the case but said it was premature to classify it as a forced disappearance. His comments came as people demonstrated in the coastal city of Guayaquil, where the children went missing on Dec. 8.

“We are on the side of justice, and whether it was a civilian, a priest, a policeman, a soldier who was involved, at the end of the day, people need answers,” Noboa, who is seeking reelection in February, told Radio Democracy. “We are not going to cover up for anyone.”

The children, aged 11 to 15, disappeared after playing soccer at night in Guayaquil’s Las Malvinas neighborhood. The father of one told local media the children began to run when two vehicles carrying people wearing military uniforms arrived in the area. The father, who was not identified by news outlets, said the children were chased and four were caught and driven away.

On Monday, dozens of people gathered outside the Attorney General’s Office in Guayaquil to demand information about the children’s whereabouts, saying it should be investigated as a forced disappearance.

Fernando Bastias, a member of the Ecuador’s nongovernmental organization Permanent Committee for the Defense of Human Rights, said the disappearances constitute “a serious violation of human rights” and called for the prosecution of any military personnel involved.

The Attorney Genera’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Luis Arroyo, left, carries photos of his two missing sons, Ismael and Josué, who were last seen on Dec. 8 running away from a military convoy with two other youths, as he protests with his family and activists outside the prosecutor's office in Guayaquil, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Cesar Munoz)