Albania protests escalate; 56 arrested amid clashes with police
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Tirana: Protests in Albania have intensified into violent confrontations with police, causing extensive damage to government offices, banks, businesses and public facilities in the capital, Tirana.
The demonstrations began on October 13, when students assembled outside the Ministry of Education to press for improved conditions at universities, lower education costs and better job opportunities for young people, local media reported.
Violence erupted the same afternoon after sections of the crowd hurled stones and other objects at police personnel and government buildings. Security forces responded by firing tear gas and deploying water cannons to break up the gatherings. The unrest continued into Friday night, with heavily equipped riot police deployed in large numbers across the capital, according to Xinhua News Agency.
Several key institutions were targeted during the disturbances, including the Ministries of Education and Justice as well as Albania’s central bank. Police said on Friday that 56 people had been arrested over the violence, while 97 others — among them 16 minors — faced criminal investigation.
What began as a student protest has now spread to multiple cities, sharpening tensions between the government and opposition. Prime Minister Edi Rama vowed not to give in to violence, alleging that opposition parties were attempting to use the unrest to destabilise the country, Albanian media reported.
The current protests form part of the wider “Flamingo” movement, which emerged in late May. It initially opposed a proposed tourism development in a protected coastal region of southern Albania associated with Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump. The movement later broadened its demands to include action against corruption, rising living costs and shortcomings in health care and education.
UN agencies operating in Albania urged all parties on Friday to halt the violence, reduce tensions and pursue dialogue to address their differences.
(Inputs from IANS)