Albanian Opposition Rallies Against Government

The opposition is holding an anti-government rally in Tirana on Tuesday, saying it is the first of a series of actions aimed at ousting the government and replacing it with a technical administration that will hold snap elections.

The opposition Democratic Party, which lost power at elections in 2013, said it would be the biggest since the polls, claiming that tens of thousands of people will attend from all over Albania.

"People will gather in Skanderbeg Square [in central Tirana] and later march to the prime minister's office and seek his resignation," a Democratic Party press spokesperson told BIRN.

The opposition parties accuse government officials of being corrupt, and claim that Rama's administration is impoverishing people with its misguided tax policies.

The Democrats chose a symbolic date for the protest - December 8, the national youth day, an official holiday to mark the first massive anti-Communist protest by students 25 years ago.

The opposition is building a stage in front of the Council of Ministers, a d will invite ordinary people like farmers and owners to tell the protesters their problems with the way the country is been administered.

The Democrats' leader, Lulzim Basha, said on Sunday that the time of current government was now over.

"The patience of Albanians had come to an end and we are not going to turn back anymore. The Romanians and Macedonians have already reached their objectives through protests, why not us?" Basha asked.

But some political analysts in Tirana doubted that the Democrats would achieve their goal.

"They were removed as the government two years ago by citizens as a punishment for widespread corruption. Now it doesn't make any sense for them to be protesting against...