Tirana, Albania's capital, is burning. After 140 days of peaceful student protests that demonstrators say were ignored, the movement to force Prime Minister Edi Rama from office has exploded into four days of street violence — thousands clashing with riot police, government buildings torched, and the prime minister blaming "foreign hands" for the unrest.
From peaceful rallies to street battles
What began months ago as peaceful demonstrations over education costs, poor university conditions, and corruption has turned into one of Albania's most serious waves of unrest in decades. "We've been protesting peacefully for 140 days, and nothing was heard," 19-year-old protester Klea told Reuters.
It escalated Tuesday, when demonstrators hurled bricks and concrete blocks at the Education Ministry and set fire to several buildings, including the prime minister's office and the finance and justice ministry buildings, plus bank branches. By Thursday the protests had become a riot — smashed windows, a raided bank, running battles with police firing tear gas, sound grenades, and water cannon. On Friday, thousands marched through Tirana for a fourth day as the unrest spread to Lezha, Elbasan, Shkodra, and Korca.
Interior Minister Ervin Demo said 156 people had been injured in recent days, including 97 police officers. Police detained 160 people over Thursday's clashes, and Demo conceded excessive police force had been recorded in two instances, leading to two officers being suspended.
What the protesters demand
The central demand is Rama's resignation. Students accuse officials of corruption and of neglecting education, citing high tuition, poor university conditions, and bleak job prospects. "You can only find work in your field if you know a guy who knows a guy," said protester Kiara, her face masked like many on the streets.
Anger also centers on the sale of parts of Albania's southern coastline for a luxury resort development backed by Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law. Villagers alleged their land was wrongfully sold for the project; Reuters reported finding no evidence of wrongdoing by Kushner. The movement, dubbed the "Flamingo Revolution," began over the resort plans and widened into a broader anti-corruption campaign.
Rama's response: refusing to step down
Rama, who won a fourth term in 2025, has flatly refused to resign. "We will not bow to violence," he wrote on Facebook. In a video address Friday, he dismissed the demonstrations as not a genuine student phenomenon and alleged the involvement of unnamed foreign actors: "These are foreign hands that do not wish for Albania to be at peace."
In a written statement to Reuters, Rama said he would discuss rising education costs but would not quit, calling it his responsibility "to listen, address legitimate concerns and keep Albania moving forward," and warning that stepping down "would be a betrayal of the Albanians who gave me a strong mandate to complete negotiations on European Union membership."
Other officials struck a different tone. President Bajram Begaj said peaceful protest was a foundational democratic obligation, cautioned that police force must not exceed legal limits, and invited the youth to dialogue. The EU delegation in Tirana condemned "the escalation of violence during the protest and the destruction of public and private property."
Why it matters beyond Albania
Albania is aiming to join the European Union by 2028, and Rama has staked his fourth term on completing accession negotiations. The unrest is a direct challenge to that project — and the interior minister himself conceded that some police force was excessive. Student boycotts have hit universities in several cities.
Neither side shows signs of backing down. Protesters reject negotiations and say only Rama's resignation will end the unrest; Rama says stepping down would betray his mandate. With 140 days of ignored peaceful marches behind them and four days of fire and tear gas on the streets, Albania's standoff has become one of Europe's most volatile flashpoints.
Music in this post's reel: Kevin MacLeod - Volatile Reaction (incompetech.com), licensed under CC BY 3.0
Sources: The Straits Times (Reuters), Arab News, Times Now News.