Albanian police have referred a case involving 25 lawmakers to special prosecutors after violent protests erupted in parliament over the jailing of an opposition MP. 

The lawmakers face accusations of property destruction during the protest, which saw opposition members burn chairs and block the podium in anger over the recent sentencing of MP Ervin Salianji.

Salianji, sentenced to 12 months in prison on September 26 for fabricating a lawsuit, claims he is the victim of a political vendetta. 

The September 30 parliament session lasted just 20 minutes before being cut short, when opposition MPs hurled chairs at the speaker and government ministers. 

A statement from the police lists the opposition MPs by their initials, saying the case has been referred to the Special Prosecutor's Office against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK). 

“Yesterday, during the plenary session, in the Assembly of the Republic of Albania, these citizens (deputies in the Assembly of the Republic of Albania) committed violent actions damaging the floor of the Assembly, broke a chair and threw in the direction of the Speaker of the Assembly and members of the government cabinet hard objects (parts of the broken chair). They also burned some chairs in the outdoor premises of the Assembly of the Republic of Albania,” the police said. 

A statement from the parliament said the institution had been “attacked yesterday [on September 30] like never before” through actions “punishable under Albanian law and absolutely unacceptable”. 

“The actions taken by the deputies involved, through hitting other people with hard objects and burning, destroying and damaging equipment in the plenary session hall, have caused, in addition to criminal offences, serious damage to public property,” the statement added. 

The Albanian parliament has also set up a working group to assess the damages caused, and plans to dock the salaries of opposition MPs to replace the burned chairs and other damaged equipment. 

The latest incident occurs amid rising political tension ahead of Albania's parliamentary elections in June 2025. 

The ruling Socialist Party, led by Prime Minister Edi Rama, has been in power since 2013, with opposition parties accusing the government of undermining public institutions and consolidating power.

As they become increasingly frustrated by Rama’s hold on power in Albania, opposition MPs have frequently resorted to violence in the parliament. 

Opposition MP Gazment Bardhi defended the protest in a Facebook post, where he accused the government of trying to dismantle the opposition. 

“Dialogue is the right tool in democratic countries, where disagreements are resolved in institutional ways. But a place where the majority in Parliament ignores the Constitutional Court decisions when they are in favour of the opposition is neither democratic nor creates the opportunity to pursue institutional paths,” Bardhi wrote. 

“For this reason, reaction, resistance and disobedience is the only form left for the opposition to protect democracy and the rule of law.” 

The position of the main opposition Democratic Party has also been undermined by a lengthy power struggle between former Albanian president and prime minister Sali Berisha and rival politicians. Berisha is currently under house arrest and was recently charged in a corruption case concerning a controversial property deal. 

The United States embassy in Tirana and other international partners condemned the violence. “Such damaging and potentially injurious actions have no place in the democratic process. We encourage all involved to exercise restraint, engage in constructive dialogue, and uphold the values of respect and civility,” said an embassy statement posted on X (formerly Twitter). 

“Violence has no place in democracy. The British Embassy urges all Albanian political parties to engage in constructive dialogue and peaceful parliamentary processes,” said a statement from the British embassy in Tirana. 

The opposition has announced a large-scale protest in Tirana on October 7.