Tirana sees clashes as graft allegations rock government
Police in Tirana fired tear gas and deployed water cannon on Friday as clashes erupted with opposition protesters demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama following corruption allegations against his deputy.
Demonstrators hurled petrol bombs and fireworks toward the prime minister’s office, while riot police responded with crowd-control measures amid escalating tensions in the Albanian capital.
Political friction has intensified since December, when a special prosecution unit indicted Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku on accusations of interfering in public tenders for major infrastructure projects and favoring specific companies. Balluku has denied the charges.
According ta Reuters, thousands of supporters of the opposition Democratic Party of Albania gathered in central Tirana, waving Albanian and party flags and chanting slogans including “Rama, go away” and “Rama in jail.”
“Edi Rama’s days are numbered,” Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha told the crowd. “Even if they go behind the sun, we will find them and punish them with the full force of the law.”
An anti-corruption court has suspended Balluku from her post, while the Special Prosecution Office has requested that parliament lift her immunity to allow for her arrest.
Rama’s ruling Socialist Party of Albania, which secured a fourth consecutive term last year, holds a strong parliamentary majority. It remains unclear whether lawmakers will move to revoke Balluku’s immunity.
The prime minister has criticized what he describes as judicial overreach, particularly the use of pre-trial detentions.
Albania, which aims to join the European Union by 2030, faces continued pressure from Brussels to strengthen its fight against organized crime and corruption.
