TIRANA – The international community managed to prevent new violence in Albania but the situation remains fragile and a political stalemate unresolved, analysts warned Saturday.
“The international community has had a decisive role in preventing a confrontation,” analyst Alban Bala said, referring to huge pressure on the opposition ahead of Friday’s anti-government protest that ended without incident.
Following clashes at a protest on January 22 that left three people dead, the European Union and the United States urged both Prime Minister Sali Berisha and opposition leader Edi Rama to calm the situation and avoid a further escalation of their long-running political crisis.
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton spoke by telephone with the two leaders Tuesday, while EU Balkans envoy Miroslav Lajcak visited Tirana a day later, pressuring the two sides to look for a peaceful solution.
