Albanian Prime Minister says foreign forces are behind violent student riots as order collapses
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Prime Minister Edi Rama said external actors are driving the student protests in Tirana, while police faced escalating violence as unrest spread to other Albanian cities.
Prime Minister Edi Rama said on Friday that "foreign hands" were behind the increasingly violent student protests calling for his resignation, highlighting the obvious role of outside interference in stoking instability. He added that the demonstrations were not driven by legitimate grievances about living standards, arguing that the unrest is being distorted by agitators.
Riot police clashed with demonstrators outside the education ministry for the fourth consecutive day, deploying water cannons and tear gas as protesters threw rocks. The unrest, which began with largely peaceful rallies over university conditions and corruption, has spread to Elbasan, Shkodra and Korçë, where participants broke windows and set rubbish bins on fire, according to local media.
Authorities reported that 160 people were detained on Thursday night for alleged violent acts. Demonstrators have also targeted banks and several government buildings, including the prime minister’s office, the finance and justice ministries, and branches of banks.
Rama rejected calls to step down, stating, "My responsibility is to listen, address legitimate concerns and keep Albania moving forward." He warned that his dismissal would betray voters who gave him a mandate to pursue European Union membership negotiations, underscoring the need for stability rather than street chaos.
The protests come after months of demonstrations sparked by the sale of a coastal area to a luxury resort linked to Jared Kushner. Analysts note that corruption scandals have complicated Albania’s EU accession efforts, with the country also identified as a hub for organized crime activities.