As student-led protests unfold in the Albanian capital—with windows being shattered and demonstrators clashing with police, who are deploying water cannons and tear gas—Prime Minister Edi Rama has stated that he has no intention of resigning, reports Reuters.Protesters accuse officials of corruption and the neglect of the education sector. There is also persistent anger regarding the sale of a beach on Albania’s southern coast to developers of a luxury resort linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump.The streets of Tirana are littered with burnt-out trash bins; bus stop glass has been smashed, and traffic lights have been torn down. Police used tear gas, stun grenades, and water cannons against protesters who threw stones, set fire to a kiosk, and broke into a bank. The protesters are demanding Rama’s resignation, pointing out that their concerns went unheeded when the protests were still peaceful earlier in the summer.Rama—whose government denies the corruption allegations—said he is prepared to discuss the rising costs of education, but he has no intention of stepping down. He stated that his duty is to listen, seek solutions, and continue moving Albania forward. The alternative would be to betray the Albanians who gave him a strong mandate to complete European Union accession negotiations.A student identifying herself as Kiara told Reuters that the cost of living, poor job prospects, and corruption were the main issues. She remarked that the Albanian Prime Minister is the very definition of corruption, noting that one can only find a job if one “knows someone who knows someone else.”The protests, which entered their third day in Albania on the 15th of October, represent Rama’s biggest challenge to date. He was elected to a fourth term last year, with EU accession at the heart of his campaign. As protests flared up near the parliament building, the session was cancelled.Protester and lawyer Lulzim Tanushi stated that the Albanian government is corrupt and led by a corrupt Prime Minister. Since coming to power, Rama has allegedly abused his authority and ruined people’s lives; this is precisely what people are angry about—that they have not been heard until now. The protests follow months of peaceful demonstrations sparked by plans to build a coastal resort. In July, residents of a village near the planned resort told Reuters that their land had been unfairly sold to developers. Reuters later reported that prosecutors were seeking the person who sold the land in connection with drug smuggling; his lawyers denied the allegations.Albania’s image has long been tarnished by corruption scandals, and political analysts have noted that the country serves as a hub for gangs seeking to launder profits from drug and arms trafficking. This complicates Albania’s path toward EU membership.Rama stated that corruption must be combated, noting that the EU has recently acknowledged Albania is doing so more vigorously than ever before. He added that some—both at home and abroad—do not want Albania to be at the forefront of candidate countries, but he would not allow violence to stand in the way of the nation’s European future.The EU mission in Albania wrote on X that the only way forward is through constructive dialogue.
Protests rage in Albania; Prime Minister refuses to step down
