Clashes between student demonstrators and riot police have intensified across Albania, marking a sharp escalation after months of mostly peaceful action. In the capital, Tirana, thousands of young Albanians marched for a fourth straight day outside the education ministry to protest government corruption and deteriorating university conditions. Officers deployed tear gas and water cannons to disperse crowds as demonstrators hurled rocks, bricks, and concrete blocks.
The unrest has spread well beyond Tirana to cities such as Elbasan, Shkodra, and Korca, where demonstrators broke windows, lit fires in rubbish bins, and targeted bank branches and official buildings. According to police, 160 people were detained on Thursday evening over alleged acts of violence after fires were set at the prime minister's office and ministry buildings. The escalation follows months of demonstrations initially sparked by the sale of coastal land for a luxury resort development linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump.
Protesters are demanding Prime Minister Edi Rama's resignation alongside sweeping political and education reforms. Rama, whose government denies corruption allegations, dismissed the demonstrations in a video address and blamed unnamed "foreign hands" seeking to destabilize the country. He insisted that the unrest had "absolutely nothing to do with the hardships, problems or legitimate aspirations" of citizens. While Rama stated that he was open to discussing rising education costs, he firmly rejected calls to step down, arguing that his departure would betray the mandate he received to lead the country into the European Union.
The political confrontation comes at a critical moment for Albania's European ambitions. Rama won a fourth term last year pledging to secure EU membership as early as 2028, but ongoing corruption scandals and organized crime concerns continue to complicate negotiations. With students vowing to continue their campaign for political accountability, the expanding unrest presents an escalating challenge to Rama's leadership and the nation's political stability.