by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief
TIRANA (Worthy News) – Student-led protesters returned to the streets of Albania’s capital Sunday, setting fire to chairs Prime Minister Edi Rama had placed outside his office as an invitation to dialogue, hours after he announced new measures to curb violent anti-government demonstrations.
Despite rainy weather, protesters gathered outside the Education Ministry before marching to Rama’s office, demanding his resignation amid mounting anger over alleged government corruption, unemployment and poor education standards.
The demonstrators smashed and burned the chairs in the street, while police remained on standby.
Earlier Sunday, Rama announced new measures that included fines of 500,000 lek (about $6,200) for anyone participating in a demonstration that turns violent, even if the person does not personally commit acts of violence.
PREMIER REJECTS RESIGNATION
“I believe that those who demand my resignation are mistaken if they think they can impose it through violence or any other means, but I do not believe that everything they say or demand is wrong,” Rama said in a video address.
The renewed demonstrations followed days of violent clashes in which protesters attacked government buildings and banks, smashed shop windows and hurled paving stones at police.
Security forces used tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets during earlier disturbances, while students accused the government of failing to provide affordable education, adequate employment opportunities and a better future for younger Albanians.
The unrest followed months of largely peaceful demonstrations against a controversial luxury coastal tourism development backed by Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump.
STUDENTS DEMAND CHANGE
Protests, initially associated with the environmental campaign known as the Flamingo movement, have since developed into a broader challenge to Rama’s Socialist government, with students joining other groups demanding political change and greater accountability.
Rama, 62, has governed Albania since 2013 and secured a fourth term in parliamentary elections last year. He argues that governments should be changed through democratic elections rather than street violence.
Clashes come as Rama seeks to bring Albania into the European Union by 2030, with corruption, organized crime and the rule of law remaining important issues in the country’s accession process.
The Balkan nation, which joined the NATO military alliance in 2009, is still grappling with the legacy of one of Europe’s most repressive communist dictatorships.
COMMUNIST PERSECUTION
For more than four decades, Albania was ruled by communist leader Enver Hoxha, whose regime imprisoned political opponents and brutally suppressed religious freedom, including Christian worship.
In 1967, the regime declared Albania the world’s first atheist state, closing churches and mosques, banning religious practices and persecuting believers. Communist rule collapsed in the early 1990s, opening the way for democratic elections and restored religious freedom.
For a generation born long after the fall of communism, the latest demonstrations reflect growing frustration over limited opportunities despite expanding tourism and foreign investment.
With Rama refusing to resign and protesters demanding political change, the confrontation has raised fresh questions about whether the government can address the grievances driving the unrest.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
