Riot police in Albania battled demonstrators near the prime minister’s office in Tirana on Saturday, deploying tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets as anti-government unrest stretched into a fifth consecutive day.
Demonstrators hurled rocks, gasoline bombs and fireworks at security cordons in the capital city center, while some set trash bins and vehicles on fire to build flaming barricades across streets. The confrontations intensified after high school and university students aligned with a wider opposition effort seeking the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.
Arrests Mount as Clashes Spread
National Police Chief Skender Hita announced that authorities have taken 167 individuals into custody across five days of turmoil, with 132 officers sustaining injuries during the clashes. Hita confirmed that officers fired rubber bullets in a restricted fashion on Saturday, marking their first recorded use during the current demonstrations, according to an AFP report cited by Al Jazeera English.
The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare stated that nine demonstrators and four officers were treated by medical personnel on Saturday. Hita also noted that seven police officers have been suspended while investigators review allegations that they exceeded their official authority during the operations.
The unrest expanded beyond Tirana on Saturday. Local news outlets reported that demonstrators in the port city of Durres ignited barricades across roadways and inflicted damage on a postal facility.
Simmering Grievances and Coastal Development
The recent escalation follows months of unrest led by the Flamingo movement, which formed to oppose a luxury coastal resort planned for southern Albania. That development is connected to an investment company established by Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump.
The movement later widened its focus to encompass rising education costs, deteriorating campus facilities, scarce employment and allegations of official corruption. Demonstrators on Saturday hurled a burning suitcase into the courtyard of the Ministry of Education, a gesture AFP reported was intended to symbolize their determination to remain in Albania rather than seek employment abroad.
“We are demanding our rights, our future and a better country,” journalism student Sinan Billa told AFP.
Rama Rejects Resignation Demands
Rama, whose Socialist Party holds a governing majority with 83 of the 140 seats in parliament and has led the country since 2013, insisted he would not step aside. In a video address, the prime minister accused conservative political opponents of stoking the clashes for partisan advantage, though he visited damaged storefronts on Saturday and pledged to address student grievances regarding schooling costs.
Parallel to the street protests, Rama faces mounting political pressure from Albania’s special prosecution body, which was established in 2019 under pressure from the European Union and the United States, the BBC reported. The agency recently detained secret service chief Vlora Hyseni, accusing her of helping businessman Ergys Agasi evade legal proceedings. Agasi has denied corruption allegations through legal counsel, while Rama acknowledged an acquaintance with Agasi but denied involvement in any illicit conduct.
Albania continues to pursue membership in the European Union, targeting formal entry as early as 2028. Demonstrators have vowed to sustain their rallies until the government addresses their demands, while the prime minister maintains that violence will not be permitted to derail the nation’s European integration.
