Albania’s opposition Democratic Party (DP) has announced plans to hold a nationwide protest on the day Parliament discusses the government’s proposed territorial reform.

Former Prime Minister and Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha called on supporters to mobilize for what he described as the most powerful national protest the country has seen.

“Friends, I call on you to mobilize and engage in the most powerful national protest the country has ever seen on the day the territorial reform is discussed in Parliament,” Berisha said in a post on Facebook.

The Democratic Party has strongly opposed the proposed changes to Albania’s territorial division, arguing that the government’s plan to merge 15 municipalities should not go ahead.

Instead, the opposition party has called for the number of municipalities to be significantly increased, proposing a total of 100 municipalities across the country.

The territorial reform has emerged as a major point of political disagreement between the governing Socialists and the opposition, with the DP arguing that a larger number of municipalities would bring local government closer to citizens.

Further details on the date and organization of the planned protest are expected to be announced by the Democratic Party.