Berisha blamed for Albania gunfight

The shoot-out underlines Albania's reputation for lawlessness

By south-east Europe analyst Gabriel Partos

Albanian Prime Minister Ilir Meta has blamed elements within the opposition Democratic Party for an attack on a police station in the north of the country in which at least two people were shot dead and over 20 injured.

The violence in the town of Bajram Curri followed two weeks of protests by ex-President Sali Berisha's Democratic Party which has been challenging the governing Socialists' victories in last month's municipal elections.

Berisha rejects the election results

The shooting incident in Bajram Curri came on Albania's national day.

According to Mr Meta, a group of anti-government demonstrators, some of whom were armed, tried to seize the town's police station, but they were beaten back by the police.

Mr Meta put the blame on the Democratic Party which has been organising daily demonstrations in the capital, Tirana, and elsewhere.

For his part, the Democratic Party's leader, Sali Berisha, accused the police of opening fire on unarmed protesters.

Violent protests

The demonstrations of the past two weeks have been directed against the Socialists' successes in October's municipal elections.

Although the elections were considered generally acceptable by observers from the European security organisation, the OSCE, Mr Berisha, has refused to go along with their judgement.

His party's protests in Tirana have attracted no more than a thousand or so supporters - but they have already involved some violence.

Now the stakes have been raised with the killings in Bajram Curri - a town in the district of Tropoja which is Mr Berisha's birthplace and remains one of his party's few remaining strongholds.

Struggle for power

Violence has been part of the Albanian political scene in recent years.

In 1997 Mr Berisha was forced out of power after an uprising against his rule led to early elections which the Socialists won.

Just 18 months later the Socialist Prime Minister, Fatos Nano, stepped down following an attack on his office by Mr Berisha's supporters.

Since then the law and order situation has improved - but clearly not enough to prevent the latest bout of killings.