By Riffat Kausar
SNN News Finland
TIRANA — Albanian police have used water cannons and tear gas against protesters in central Tirana, as student-led demonstrations over university fees and corruption entered a second week and demonstrators stepped up calls for Prime Minister Edi Rama to resign.
Pillows burned outside the prime minister’s office
On Saturday, supporters of the opposition Democratic Party gathered outside the prime minister’s office and set fire to a row of pillows placed there by Rama himself.
The pillows had been laid out as a symbolic invitation for students to come and talk. Instead, opposition supporters burned them — a scene that underlined how far the standoff has moved from dialogue.
Ahead of the afternoon gathering, police deployed water cannon vehicles and special intervention units around the education ministry.
Water cannons at the education ministry
From the prime minister’s office, the crowd moved toward the education ministry in Tirana, where students were also demonstrating. Police responded with water cannon, and the situation deteriorated as groups of demonstrators threw stones, fireworks and petrol bombs toward officers.
Officers used tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets. More than 300 protesters and police officers were reported injured in the fiercest clashes in days.
A second week against fees and corruption
The unrest began with student demands over poor university conditions and high tuition fees, then widened into a broader anti-government movement. Protesters have marched on the education ministry and the prime minister’s office, set fire to rubbish bins and bus shelters, and thrown stones at government buildings and banks.
The demonstrations, sometimes described by participants as a “Flamingo Revolution”, have drawn in high-school pupils, university students and opposition supporters. They have become one of the most serious challenges to Rama’s government in years, at a time when Albania is pursuing membership of the European Union.
The unrest in Albania has unfolded alongside other disturbances in Europe this month, including looting and unrest in France, as well as protest violence further afield such as clashes in Guadalajara.
Rama rejects calls to resign
Rama, who has served as prime minister since 2013, has rejected calls to step down, arguing that the protests pose a threat to Albania’s EU membership rather than to his government.
He has pledged to give an answer to the students’ demands “within a matter of hours or days”, while warning that anyone responsible for the violence would face a long and harsh response.
For now, the government’s offer of talks and the protesters’ demand for a change of leadership remain far apart.
Key facts
- Where: Tirana, Albania, with protests centred on the education ministry and the prime minister’s office.
- Who: student-led protests, joined by opposition Democratic Party supporters.
- Demands: better university conditions, lower tuition fees and action on corruption — and the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.
- Police response: water cannon, tear gas and rubber bullets; more than 300 protesters and officers reported injured.
- Rama’s position: he has refused to resign, pledged an answer on the students’ demands within hours or days, and warned of a harsh response to violence.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Albanian protests about?
They began over high university fees and poor campus conditions, and widened into a broader anti-government movement that also cites corruption.
Why were pillows burned?
Rama placed pillows outside his office as a symbolic invitation for students to talk. Opposition supporters set them on fire instead.
What have police used?
Water cannon, tear gas and rubber bullets, deployed near the education ministry and the prime minister’s office.
Will Rama resign?
He has rejected calls to step down, saying the protests threaten Albania’s EU membership ambitions rather than his government.
Has anyone been hurt?
More than 300 protesters and police officers were reported injured in the heaviest clashes.
Verified by Scandinavian News Agency Finland.
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