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Tirana, January 28, 2011 NOA - Thousands of Albanians holding flowers and candles started marching peacefully through Albania's capital Friday in an anti-government protest to honour three opposition supporters shot dead during a protest last week.
Hundreds of police guarded the main government building in the city centre, bracing for a repeat of the deadly clashes that injured more than 150 protesters and security officers. Police have said they consider the demonstration to be a threat to national security and say they cannot guarantee protesters' safety.
Former Tirana mayor Edi Rama's opposition Socialist party rebuffed requests to cancel Friday's rally.
"As long as the causes of the Jan. 21 protest exist, our protests will continue," Socialist lawmaker Saimir Tahiri told The Associated Press.
The opposition is demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sali Berisha's government for alleged corruption following months of simmering tensions over disputed national elections.
Tensions rose sharply earlier this month when the country's deputy prime minister, Ilir Meta, resigned amid an alleged corruption scandal.
The opposition wants the government to hold early general elections because of the scandal and their allegation that the conservatives rigged the 2009 ballot.
Berisha has rejected calls for him to resign, and has accused the opposition of attempting to stage a coup d'etat.
He said Albanians' right to protested would by respected, but warned Rama not to try to overthrow the government, or "he will face consequences he cannot imagine."
European Union and U.S. officials have urged restraint from the Socialists and the governing Democrats, who agreed to cancel a protest of their own scheduled for Saturday.
"We call on all sides and their leaders to engage in a considered dialogue to manage political differences and avoid further bloodshed and suffering," Ian Kelly, U.S. Ambassador at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, said Thursday.
Anticipating unrest, the U.S. Embassy in Tirana said it will be closed on Friday.
