Albanian Students Protest Against Government, Prime Minister Faces Calls to Resign

Key Takeaways

Thousands of Albanian students marched through Tirana, breaking windows and traffic lights.
Protests have spread to multiple cities, including Lezha, Elbasan, Skhodra, and Korca.
Students accuse the government of corruption and neglecting education, citing a luxury resort development as a key issue.

In a significant escalation, thousands of young Albanians marched through Tirana on Friday, breaking windows and traffic lights, marking the fourth day of increasingly violent protests. The demonstrations, initially peaceful, have turned into riots, with protesters smashing windows, raiding a bank, and clashing with police.

The protests, which have spread to multiple cities, including Lezha, Elbasan, Skhodra, and Korca, have seen demonstrators breaking windows and setting fire to garbage bins. Local media reported these incidents, highlighting the growing unrest.

The protests were sparked by plans to build a luxury resort on pristine coastlines, backed by US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Students accuse officials of corruption and neglecting education, with one protester, Enea, stating, 'To resign as fast as possible before everything burns down.'

Prime Minister Edi Rama, who won a fourth term last year on promises to take Albania into the European Union, faces significant challenges. He responded on Facebook, stating, 'We will not bow to violence.'

Businesses in Tirana appealed to protesters to leave them alone, with some small businesses displaying notes saying, 'We are with you. Do not damage our business all over the town.'

In the coastal town of Lezha, police clashed with stone-throwing protesters. In Elbasan, Skhodra, and Korca, demonstrators broke windows and set fire to garbage bins, according to local media reports.

Political analyst Afrim Krasniqi said younger generations saw no future in Albania, stating, 'They see that all resources in the country, political resources, economic, everything is in the hands of oligarchs.'

Corruption scandals have tarnished Albania’s image, and analysts say the country is a hub for gangs seeking to launder money from drugs and weapons trafficking, complicating its efforts to join the EU.

The unrest is part of a broader wave of student activism in Europe, with high school students in France staging weeks of protests. In Albania, the protests are a challenge for Rama, who is aiming for EU membership as early as 2028.