Fines for road obstruction
Albanian police issued 31 fines on Thursday, bringing the total number of fines under new legislation to 83 over the last few days. Police penalized people who blocked roads after officers issued warnings via loudspeaker, issuing 16 fines on Tuesday, 36 on Wednesday, and 31 on Thursday. Each person received a fine of 5,000 Albanian lek for obstructing traffic. Prime Minister Edi Rama introduced this legislative package, which went into force on October 28, to combat "violence and urban anarchy." The package includes amendments to the Law on Assemblies, a special electronic registry for people suspected of engaging in violence, and an act about compensation for damages caused during protests.
| Violation | Maximum Fine |
|---|---|
| Obstructing traffic | 5,000 lek (55 euros) |
| Unauthorised gathering or failure to disperse | 5,000 euros |
| Concealing identity with a mask | 5,000 euros |
Activist accounts and NGO opposition
Mei Seva, a photographer and activist, received a 5,000 lek fine on Wednesday while attending a peaceful gathering in front of the prime minister’s office. She stated that she arrived at the gathering, which has occurred for over 150 days, and then went to buy a snack. A masked policeman without a visible badge number took a photo of her identity card and searched through her phone before issuing the 5,000 lek fine for blocking the road. Seva called the incident an "intimidation tactic" by a government attempting to maintain power despite five months of protests. Rama also stated that fines would be levied for participation in an unauthorised gathering and failure to comply with calls to disperse.
Fifteen civil society organisations urged parliament on Tuesday to block the legislation, calling the measures a violation of constitutional rights and freedoms. The statement from the 15 NGOs argued that the violent actions of specific individuals cannot be used to broadly restrict citizens’ right to peaceful assembly or to impose collective responsibility upon participants or organisers. The demonstrations began on May 31 in opposition to a luxury resort in Zvernec linked to Jared Kushner, but they expanded to demand the resignation of the Rama government. These protesters accuse the administration of corrupt governance and economic mismanagement following violent clashes between police and young demonstrators in October.
