Albania’s PM dismisses calls to resign as student protests spread

What the report says

Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama has rejected demands that he resign as student-led anti-government protests entered a third day in Tirana and expanded to other cities, according to Al Jazeera’s report based on AFP and Reuters. Demonstrators and police clashed in the capital on Thursday, with riot police using water cannons, tear gas and batons as crowds gathered near government buildings and in Skanderbeg Square. The unrest left vandalised streets, damaged bus stops and burnt rubbish bins in parts of the city.

The protesters say they are angry about corruption, the cost of living, poor job prospects and what they view as official neglect of education. Their mobilization also reflects broader criticism of a luxury coastal resort project linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, and concerns about land sales in southern Albania. Students have also been involved in university boycotts.

Rama said in a written statement that his duty is to listen to legitimate concerns while keeping the country moving toward European Union membership. He argued that violence should not derail Albania’s European future and said those responsible for the disorder would face the law. The government denies corruption allegations and has said it is prepared to discuss education costs, but not to accept resignation demands.

Authorities said 65 people were arrested on Wednesday, while hospitals in Tirana treated 89 people, including police officers. The protests matter because they point to widening frustration with the government and could affect the political climate around Albania’s EU ambitions.