Albanian premier says protests threaten EU bid as Tirana clashes continue

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has rejected demands to resign amid student-led protests in Tirana, warning on October 18 that the unrest threatens the country’s progress towards European Union membership, not his government. By October 20, clashes between police and anti-government demonstrators had continued for an eighth day, according to the Associated Press.¹⁶²

Protests and police response

Police used tear gas and water cannons during the October 20 clashes in the Albanian capital, AP reported. Rama called the demonstrations “an attempted violent overthrow” and said they would not bring about a change in those governing the country.²

The student-led movement has drawn on anger over perceived government corruption, limited employment opportunities and education standards. The Guardian reported on October 20 that students and other demonstrators were gathering in Tirana and demanding Rama’s resignation over those issues.¹⁶⁴

Other reports describe a wider range of grievances. The New York Times said living expenses and education costs had prompted students to revive protests. AP linked the demonstrations to fuel prices, schools, public services and housing.⁵²

The Straits Times reported on October 18 that demonstrations had spread from central Tirana to other cities during the preceding week. The report said protesters set fire to banks and government buildings and hurled paving stones at officers, prompting police to deploy rubber bullets, tear gas and a water cannon.¹

According to police, criminal charges arising from the demonstrations had been filed against 388 people. The Straits Times reported that scores of officers and protesters had been injured. Le Monde described a doctor in Tirana who had begun providing free treatment to injured protesters.¹⁶³

Earlier demonstrations and foreign-interference claims

Le Monde reported that the demonstrations remained peaceful from May 31 until an influx of thousands of students on October 13 led to an escalation. The Straits Times said the current unrest followed largely peaceful summer demonstrations against a luxury coastal development backed by Jared Kushner.³¹

Rama alleged that unidentified interests abroad were behind both the demonstrations and what he called an effort to attack his office with a drone. Reuters, carried by Internazionale, reported that he invited students to talks while excavators removed paving outside his office before further demonstrations.¹⁶

EU ambitions

Rama has led Albania since 2013 and won a fourth term last year. He says his government is confronting corruption more extensively than before, while corruption scandals have damaged the country’s image over the years.¹⁶

Albania aims to join the EU by 2030 and, alongside Montenegro, is among the leading Balkan membership candidates. Reuters reported that the European Commission condemned violence in Tirana and other cities while welcoming the authorities’ commitment to safeguarding the right to protest.¹⁶