(ANSA-AP) - TIRANA, FEB 21 - Thousands of protesters supporting Albania's opposition surrounded the parliament building Thursday and demanded the government step down, claiming it's corrupt and has links to organized crime. Hundreds of police and rolls of barbed wire protected the parliament building in downtown Tirana, the capital, from the protesters.

Thursday's parliament session was cancelled. Opposition lawmakers, led by the center-right Democratic Party of Lulzim Basha, have signed letters of resignation from parliament and are demanding an early election. Supporters of the opposition gathered in front of the parliament building with anti-government posters and slogans. "We will now lead a civic, peaceful and democratic battle to restore legitimacy and democracy in Albania," Basha said before the start of the rally. (ANSA-AP).

EU condemns opposition protests in Tirana
Mogherini and Hahn denounce political rhetoric for violence

(ANSA) - BRUSSELS FEB 21 - The European Union raises its voice and condemns the ongoing protests in Tirana called by the opposition led by Lulzim Basha to demand the resignation of Edi Rama's socialist government and call for early elections. "We strongly denounce any rhetoric by political leaders calling for violence", as well as "the decision by the opposition to relinquish their mandates, that seriously hinders the functioning of democracy in Albania", EU High Representative Federica Mogherini and EU Commissioner for Enlargement Johannes Hahn wrote in a joint statement. "The Parliament is the place where reforms and relevant developments should be discussed and taken forward, not boycotted", underlined Mogherini and Hahn, warning the Albanian opposition that "these decisions and acts are counterproductive" and "undermine the progress the country has made on the European Union path". "EU expects all Members of the Albanian Parliament to continue serving in the Parliament, and to take any necessary measure to avoid violent acts and incendiary statements", they added. (ANSA).