An escalation of some of the worst politically fueled tension in Albania resulted in at least three protestors being shot in the head with a clash with the police. Around 250,000 people gathered outside Prime Minister Sali Berisha's office to implore him to resign amid allegations of corruption and fraud related to the June 2009 election. The struggles left 23 demonstrators hurt, 3 in critical conditions with head injuries, along with 17 police officers also injured. Afterwards, Albania's current president, Bamir Topi, issued a statement urging all political parties to resume talks soon and not to reopen old wounds -- referring to a 1997 at-times violent crisis that also targeted Berisha, who was then the nation's president. The European Union, which has been considering adding Albania as a member, urgently appealed to "all political forces to engage in a constructive dialogue and to mobilize the countries' energies" to resolve political stalemate. Berisha directly blamed the casualties on his chief political rival, Socialist Party leader Edi Rama, whom he accused of scheming to have demonstrators take over the prime minister's office, parliament and key ministries.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/01/21/albania.protests/index.html
-Kristine Zizis
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