TIRANA, January 26 – The deliberations of Thursday’s parliamentary session were characterized by chaos as the request of the opposition deputies to include the question of the “McGonigal” case on the agenda was turned down.
The plenary session started at 11:00 on Thursday morning and after the refusal of Nikolla to include the “McGonigal” issue on the agenda the deputies of the Democratic Party (DP) led by Sali Berisha rushed to the rostrum of the Assembly. The speaker of the parliament drew his attention, but Berisha, surrounded by DP deputies, blocked the podium and started to speak. The guard of the Assembly gathered around him.
After strong debates and the blocking of the rostrum, the DP deputies protested by knocking on the tables and not allowing the socialists to speak, Nikolla expelled Berisha from the Assembly session. An unusual situation was created- chaos and noise all the time as deputies and ministers spoke at the same time.
Nikolla tried to place order but unsuccessfully. In such circumstances she continued to take action on some draft bills and closed the plenary session quickly.
However, Berisha continued to talk about the McGonigal case all the time, stating that the Russian oligarch Deripaska has his tentacles in all sectors of the Albanian economy. He accused Damian Gjiknuri as a spokesman of Russian interests in Albania.
“Today there can be no other debate than this debate. Albanians must find out the truth. Edi Rama should come here, resign and go to testify in the US,” said Berisha.
“What do you want more than that? Do you know who McGonigal was, his function, that you took the money of the Russian oligarch’s companies. You know that Deripaska has his tentacles in all sectors of the Albanian economy,” said Berisha.
After the expulsion of Berisha, DP deputies reacted by knocking on the tables and gave speeches in the rostrum. They insisted that PM Edi Rama should be present in the parliamentary session.
Earlier the Albanian Parliament held a special session to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust. On this occasion, there was a video message addressed to the Albanian deputies by the head of the Israeli parliament, or as it is otherwise known the Knesset, Amir Ohana.
Ohana thanked Speaker Lindita Nikolla and the deputies for organizing the special session commemorating the past. Ohana said that Israel will forever be grateful to the Albanian people for their courage in the face of the oppressive Nazi regime. Ohana also touched on Iran’s threat and said that Albania has experienced Tehran’s brutal behavior closely.
These circumstances, according to him, lead to stronger cooperation between the two countries at all levels. /Argumentum.al
