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TIRANA – A footage posted by Premier Edi Rama on his FB account on Saturday, which is being shared by media portals and other social networks, is not related to violence of Spanish police against citizens of an unnamed town as it was claimed by the Albanian government head. In explaining the footage Rama said initially that it showed how Spanish police forces used batons against citizens who had not abided by the confinement measure set by authorities to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
As a matter of fact, it came out that the footage was taken in Algeria during an anti-government protest some time ago. This revelation was made by the Spanish Ambassador to Tirana, Vicente Canelles, who said that the images are not related to Spain at all.
Ambassador’s post on his FB account is as following: “Although the Embassy of Spain agrees completely with the recommendations of the Prime Minister on the need of respecting the restriction measures to the benefit of the health of all, I feel very sorry that some images, which are not related to Spain at all, have been circulated.”
In response to harsh criticism by some media outlets and opposition officials against Rama charging him as a ‘loyal lying enemy and fake news’, the PM apologizes for the unintentional inaccuracy which, as he said, has inspired even a statement full of accusations and foolishness of the Democratic Party.
“Once I also became victims of the ‘digital citizen’,” said Rama in his apology without mentioning the Spanish Ambassador, who was the first to discover the truth of that footage. The PM revealed that the footage was sent by an Albanian friend of his from Italy who while seeing the images of the markets in Tirana on Saturday wrote to him: “Look at what police do in Spain!”
In addition Rama said that he had posted the footage on purpose after his message in which it was said that there would be no tolerance by order forces. “Now I learn that the images are from Algeria.” He said that he would delete the name of Spain but insisted to keep the footage because the message is unquestionable. According to the government head, it is needed indispensable reaction against those that put in danger the life of all Albanians with their irresponsible behavior.
Tirana is in total lockdown starting from 13.00 o’clock on Saturday to last until 05.00 am on Monday with police and army patrolling the streets a measure taken by the government as part of the drive to prevent as much as possible the spread of the coronavirus pandemic which has hit Albania causing 76 declared affected persons and two fatalities. /argumentum.al
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