The Constitutional Court of Tirana has ruled to suspend the construction works for the National Theater. However, the Court didn’t meet the necessary votes to repeal the Municipal Council ruling that approved the demolition of the old theater.
The Democratic Party leader, Lulzim Basha, who had opposed the demolition of the old National Theater for the construction of a new one, posted on Facebook that now that the Constitutional Court has ruled, it will be up to the Special Anticorruption Prosecution.
The demolition of the National Theater to be replaced by a new one was met with strong opposition by many actors and other social groups as well. Many protests were staged and the demonstrators had to be taken out the building by the police when they carried out the demolition.
The Alliance for the Theater, a social movement that opposed this decision, accused the EU Ambassador to Tirana, Soreca, of trying to influence the Constitutional Court as he met with the President of the Constitutional Court, Vitore Tusha, a few days before the ruling. Soreca denied the accusations and the EU Delegation in Tirana promise to sue for slander.
The Socialist Mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, reacted immediately after today’s ruling. He read the Constitutional Court decision different from the opposition. He said that after this ruling, Tirana can now build the biggest modern theater in the Balkans.
“Now let’s continue and build the biggest modern theater in the Balkans. We have lost too much time with hysteria, The Constitutional Court proved the Municipality was right, by leaving in effect the decision for demolishing the old National Theater”, Veliaj declared.