Albania’s Rama rejects resignation calls as protests turn violent
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has refused to resign as violent anti-government protests entered their sixth day on Sunday, with police using tear gas and water cannon to disperse demonstrators in the capital, Tirana.
The protests, which began on Tuesday, have centred on poor university conditions, high tuition fees and corruption. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the education ministry at midday, chanting “Rama, resign” before confrontations with police spread across the city centre.
According to the health ministry, 272 people had been injured in clashes since Tuesday, including 169 police officers. Twelve people were hospitalised, while 65 injuries were reported on Saturday alone.
Clashes spread across Tirana
Violence intensified after police moved to disperse the demonstrators, who subsequently spread through central Tirana.
Protesters set rubbish bins and vehicles on fire, smashed windows at the governing Socialist Party headquarters and set fire to a police station and the entrance of the interior ministry.
On the capital’s main boulevard and central square, demonstrators threw rocks, Molotov cocktails and pyrotechnic devices at officers, who responded with tear gas and rubber bullets, according to an AFP journalist at the scene.
The health ministry said 16 police officers were injured on Sunday, including 14 during an attack on a police station. Ambulances were seen transporting injured people from areas of confrontation.
Ahead of the demonstrations, businesses and offices in central Tirana covered their windows and entrances with metal shutters. City workers also removed paving stones to prevent them from being used as projectiles.
Rama blames outside influence
In a video address lasting more than an hour, Rama ruled out stepping down and described the protests as the “work of an outside hand”.
The unrest also disrupted his diplomatic schedule. Austria’s federal press service said Albania had cancelled Rama’s official visit to Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker, which had been planned for Monday.
Rama has led Albania’s Socialist government since 2013. The country has been a candidate for European Union membership since 2014.
Saturday marked the worst violence
Saturday saw the most severe clashes since the demonstrations began, with protesters throwing rocks, metal objects, Molotov cocktails and pyrotechnic devices at police while setting vehicles and rubbish bins ablaze to form barricades.
A court, banks and a post office were among the buildings set on fire or seriously damaged. AFP journalists reported that police used rubber bullets for the first time since the unrest began.
Albert Nushi of the police public security department said the unprecedented scale of attacks on officers had prompted the “limited use of specialised crowd-control equipment”.
He urged demonstrators to distance themselves from masked individuals he blamed for the violence and called for peaceful assembly.
Police detained 54 people in Tirana on Saturday, 27 of whom face criminal proceedings, Nushi said.
Protesters cite corruption and rule of law
The demonstrations have drawn people concerned about governance, corruption and living conditions.
Lura Elezi, a 38-year-old writer and activist, told AFP she was protesting for “a better life, rule of law and against crime and corruption”.
She said she loved Albania but believed the government did not respect its citizens, adding that people had a responsibility to help shape the country’s future.
The latest unrest follows months of anti-government demonstrations in Albania, initially triggered by controversy surrounding a resort development reportedly linked to the family of US President Donald Trump.
US and EU urge restraint
The US Embassy in Tirana called for “restraint and calm on all sides” late Saturday.
The European Commission condemned the violence in Tirana and other cities, stressing that any response must remain proportionate.
It also said that grievances in a country seeking EU membership should be addressed through constructive dialogue and peaceful means.
With Rama rejecting calls to resign and demonstrations continuing, tensions remain high as authorities face pressure to restore order while addressing protesters’ demands.
Source:AA
