Albanian Capital Faces Fourth Day of Clashes as PM Accuses Foreign Actors

• Protests in Tirana have escalated into violent clashes with police for four straight days
• Thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets since Tuesday

Updated 8 min 4 sec ago

October 17, 2026 01:15

TIRANA: Clashes erupted for a fourth consecutive day in Albania’s capital as Prime Minister Edi Rama pointed to “foreign hands” as the cause of the growing unrest.
Police deployed tear gas and water cannons while demonstrators threw stones and set fire to trash bins to obstruct streets throughout the city. The confrontations persisted into the night across multiple neighborhoods.
Since Tuesday, thousands have taken part in the protests demanding Rama’s resignation over deteriorating university conditions and soaring tuition costs.
AFP reporters said that on Friday demonstrators tried to break into government offices along the city’s main avenue.
Coverage indicated that the unrest spilled over to other urban centers, where smaller scuffles and university student boycotts occurred, signalling a notable increase in the months‑long anti‑government movement.
The demonstrations began with a few hundred gathering outside the Education Ministry, chanting “Rama resign!”
“We are not criminals; we simply want a better future for our families and ourselves. We have no intention of leaving Albania,” said 18‑year‑old Ledia in an interview with AFP.
“The government’s indifference and arrogance since the start of our campaign have been intolerable and have only worsened the situation,” added the high‑school student, who requested anonymity.
Shop fronts were shattered and several public buildings, including the Finance Ministry, came under attack during the week’s turmoil.
A police statement noted that 160 individuals were detained for violent acts on Thursday.
An AFP correspondent observed masked groups smashing shop windows and looting stores, with similar incidents reported elsewhere in the city.
Officials said that dozens of people, chiefly police officers, have been injured in the clashes since Tuesday.
Interior Minister Ervin Demo announced on Friday that 156 persons had suffered injuries, 97 of them police, in recent days.
“I would also like to remind everyone that we have far more reason to unite and work for the nation’s benefit than to fight. This is a covert attempt by those who seek to seize power through violence,” Demo stated in a press release.
He earlier noted that excessive force had been used by police on two occasions, resulting in the suspension of two officers.
– ‘Foreign hands’ –
For months, anti‑government protests have simmered in the Balkans, originally triggered by a controversial resort project tied to the family of former U.S. President Donald Trump.
In a statement, Rama maintained that the demonstrations bear “no relation to the genuine hardships, problems or legitimate aspirations of anyone seeking a better life.”
“Everything is the work of the same hand — the hand that has throttled the Albanian opposition, the hand that has repeatedly burned and devastated Albania,” he said.
The Socialist premier accused unnamed “foreign forces” of stoking the unrest and trying to derail Albania’s EU accession bid.
“These foreign actors do not wish to see Albania at peace,” he remarked in a Facebook video.
Rama has repeatedly brushed aside protesters’ grievances, claiming they are being manipulated by foreign interests, yet he has offered no specifics or proof.

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