Albanian actors clash with police over theatre demolition

Albanian actors clash with police over theatre demolition
The old National Theatre in Tirana that the authorities plan to demolish.
By bne IntelliNews July 24, 2019

Albanian actors clashed with the police in front of the National Theatre in Tirana on July 24 over the planned demolition of the building, media reported.

The project to build a new theatre building in the capital Tirana has drawn harsh criticism from artists as well as from the opposition parties. The old National Theatre in Tirana was built in 1939 and previously served as a cinema.

The situation escalated when demonstrators started to throw firecrackers, Albanian Daily News reported.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said that the new theatre will be build despite the resistance of some actors.

Rama said that a minority of actors and politicians cannot take the country hostage.

On the other hand, President Ilir Meta said that he will send a request to the Constitutional Court, which is expected to become operational in September, to revise the constitutionality of the decision on the demolition of the old theatre.

In 2018, Albanian authorities selected Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) to design the new National Theatre building in Tirana. The new 9,300 square metre theatre will have four stages, and is conceived as two buildings connected by the main auditorium: one for the audience and one for the performers.

The theatre is adjacent to Tirana's main Skanderbeg Square, the National Opera and the National Art Gallery.

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