Berisha: "I am honored if the Albanian Parliament strips off my immunity"

Tirana, 18 September (ARTA) 2000CET --

Around 3000 people continued their protest yesterday in the "Skanderbeg" square, steered by the leaders of the Democratic Party and other member parties of "Bashkimi për Democraci". Sali Berisha was staying between his wife Lirie and the 13 years old son of the late Azem Hajdari. The protesters were holding transparents with the appeals written in English, requesting Fatos Nano's resignation. The texts of the slogans were "We support a political and not a violent solution", "Enver-Nano, father and son", "Azem is alive" etc.

"I will be honored if the Parliament will decide to strip off my immunity" declared Berisha, while the Parliament convened to discuss this matter.

His message addressed to Prime Minister Nano states that the revolt will engulf the entire Albania.

"One year ago, I thought that Nano had changed, and therefore I recognized the elections, which I thought had to be recognized. However, Nano remains a Stalinist", said Berisha about his opponent.

Berisha informed the journalists that the police blocked the entries to Tirana, in order to prevent thousands of people from surrounding municipalities to protest in the capital.

"Albania needs sacrifice and we ought to sacrifice", addressed Berisha the protesters.

"We possess indisputable arguments that Fatos Nano, besides the shooting during the funeral, has prepared the rest of the scenario.

He has instructed disguised gangs to loot the shops and destroy the institutions, in order to blame the Democratic Party afterwards. We got evidence that the technical equipment of the Albanian Parliament was taken away a couple of hours before the protesters got in the seat of the Parliament.

Fatos Nano has falsely accused the Democratic Party of the alleged crimes against humanity, by arresting its six high ranking officials before the martyr leader of democracy Azem Hajdari was killed. In addition, its president and some others are accused for organizing an armed insurrection.

The killing of Azem Hajdari was not enough for Nano, but additionally he (Fatos Nano) shot at his funeral.

There is no bargaining with the accusations we are charged with, and we do not make bargains over the pure blood of Azem Hajdari", he said.

The overall international community has expressed its readiness to contribute in solving the political crisis, which has overwhelmed Albania.

Meanwhile, private "Radio Contact" informs that many Kosova Albanians coming from Switzerland are turned back at the Rinas airport with the pretext that "they have come to support Sali Berisha's protests".