Police used tear gas and water cannons on Tuesday to disperse protesters in Tirana, as violent anti-government demonstrations entered their eighth consecutive day in the Albanian capital.
The protests have drawn high school and university students demanding lower tuition fees, increased government funding for education and action against corruption in the education system. Their demonstrations have merged with a broader movement calling for the resignation of Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama.
Clashes in central Tirana have continued for several days. Protesters have thrown rocks, flares, firebombs and fireworks at police, who have responded with batons, water cannons and tear gas.
Albania is among several European countries facing protests driven by rising fuel prices, dissatisfaction with schools and deteriorating public services, as well as a housing crisis. Similar unrest has also emerged in France and Italy.
Tent camps have appeared in Spain and Portugal as demonstrators protest unaffordable housing. In Greece, a rally and a separate protest were scheduled for Tuesday evening and Wednesday.
In Albania, the latest unrest follows months of rallies led by the so-called Flamingo movement. The group was formed to oppose a major luxury tourism project on the country’s southern coast, linked to an investment firm founded by Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law.
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“A wave of stones, an attempt to overthrow the government and change those in power through the imposition of violence — something that will never be allowed to happen, in any form or for any reason,” Rama said after meeting Tuesday with teachers and representatives from Tirana’s schools.
Rama said legitimate public grievances were being exploited by individuals intentionally provoking violence during the demonstrations.
“This is a hybrid war that naturally works to the extent that it does because it is based on real concerns, not fantasies. Concerns about the cost of living are certainly real. Concerns about a secure future, housing, and greater opportunities to get ahead are also real,” Rama said.
The prime minister accused demonstrators of “hold(ing) the city under a climate of terror” and said students taking part in the protests “belong to emerging currents of political extremism.”
