Albania’s former prime minister and now opposition leader, Sali Berisha, was punched Tuesday while leading a protest in Tirana, the same day the capital hosted a meeting of the European Union and Balkan countries.
«Release the wretch who punched me,» demanded Berisha, who accused the current prime minister, Edi Rama, of having instigated this attack. «The real perpetrator is sitting on the summit as the main criminal of the Balkans and Europe,» the leader of the conservative Democratic Party has said after being beaten.
The attack took place around noon local time in the city center as thousands of demonstrators marched alongside Berisha to protest against the government. After being punched, bodyguards pinned down the assailant, a 31-year-old man identified as Gerti Shehu, reports the daily ‘Shekulli’.
Police have taken charge of the assailant, who had to be admitted to a hospital due to the blows he received from Berisha’s supporters. At the same time, it is suspected that the young man, who has a criminal record, suffers from mental health problems.
The first EU-Balkans summit to be held in the region took place in Tirana, the capital of Albania, on Tuesday. Although it did not focus on the enlargement of the group, it did serve for the EU-27 to call for full alignment with EU foreign policy, especially when Serbia, Russia’s main partner in the area, has avoided joining the sanctions over the war in Ukraine.
