Albanian PM, opposition blame each other for deaths
TIRANA (Reuters) - Albania's prime minister and the opposition blamed each other on Saturday for the deaths of three people in this week's anti-government protest, with each side promising new rallies in an escalating political row.
One of Europe's poorest countries, Albania is part of NATO but the European Union rejected its application last year to become an official candidate to join the bloc, urging it to fight corruption and establish a functioning democracy.
The opposition Socialists have refused to accept the results of a 2009 election which gave Prime Minister Sali Berisha, Albania's dominant post-Communist politician, a second four-year term and accuse his government of corruption and vote fraud.
On Friday, their supporters staged a demonstration in central Tirana, pelting Berisha's office building with sticks and stones, prompting police to respond with tear gas, rubber bullets, water cannon, stun grenades and firearms.
Three civilians died in the confrontation, one of a gunshot wound to the head and the two others with close-range shots to the chest, in the worst violence in the former Stalinist country since protesters backing Berisha stormed the same government building in 1998 following the death of a lawmaker.
As mourners held the first funeral on Saturday, the leader of the Socialist Party, Tirana Mayor Edi Rama, blamed Berisha's government for the deaths and promised to stage more protests to get rid of what he called an "intolerable regime of thieves."
"We will continue our protests and demonstrations, without violence, peacefully, wisely, with the unstoppable power of the people's resistance," Rama said.
Rama pointed to video footage, played on Albanian television on Saturday, which appeared to show a protester standing outside a metal gate in front of the premier's office being hit by shots originating from the courtyard on the other side of the gate.
Prosecutors issued six arrest warrants over the killings for commanders of republican guardsmen for "exceeding their competence," but police had yet to act on the warrants, a spokesman said.
CONSEQUENCES
Berisha has accused Rama of attempting a Tunisia-style uprising and blamed the deaths on the opposition leader and his allies: "They are the real authors of this ugly crime. Yesterday's anti-constitutional act bears your name and you will face all the consequences."
The prime minister called on Albanians of all political colours to attend an anti-violence rally on Wednesday. Outside his office on Saturday, workers cleaned up stones, sticks, anti-government banners and the carcasses of gutted cars.
The Socialists have staged many peaceful protests in Tirana, including a lengthy hunger strike, since the 2009 election.
Some analysts believe their confrontation with the government could escalate unless the West intervenes robustly.
In a joint statement, the Tirana missions of the EU, United States and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) called for a compromise.
"There is one hard truth about yesterday that is important for everyone to understand. There were no winners. There were only losers," U.S. Ambassador Alexander Arvizu told a news conference. "This was a dramatic setback, and from which the country needs to recover."
(Editing by Adam Tanner and Maria Golovnina)