The German Embassy in Tirana on Monday strongly condemned acts of violence reported during an opposition protest a day earlier, stressing that democratic rights must not be used to justify unrest.

In an official statement, the embassy underscored that political protests and the right to demonstrate are fundamental pillars of a democratic society, but said these rights cannot legitimize violence against individuals or property.

“The German Embassy condemns the unacceptable violence in the context of yesterday’s demonstrations. Political protests and the right to demonstrate are fundamental rights in any democratic society. However, they can never justify violence against persons or objects,” the statement said.

The embassy also called on political representatives to take responsibility and clearly distance themselves from any acts of violence.

“We call on responsible representatives of political parties to unequivocally distance themselves from violence,” the statement concluded.