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Thousands of mostly young protesters gathered outside the education ministry in Tirana on Saturday before the demonstration shifted toward Prime Minister Edi Rama’s office where masked participants hurled rocks petrol bombs and fireworks according to Reuters. Police responded with tear gas water cannon stun grenades and baton charges while national police chief Skender Hita confirmed the limited deployment of rubber bullets for the first time since the unrest began. The confrontations left the city centre littered with broken glass and burning debris as similar scenes played out in other urban centres.
Protests that originated in the summer as largely peaceful actions have intensified this week with students and secondary school pupils joining calls for Rama to resign over alleged corruption and neglect of the education system a Reuters dispatch from Tirana stated. The unrest spread beyond the capital to cities including Durrës Shkodër Lezhë Vlora Gjirokastër and Korçë where demonstrators set fires to government buildings banks and vehicles according to multiple reports. A broader movement known as the Flamingo Revolution had been building for months prior to this week’s escalation the Guardian noted in its coverage of the events.
Police figures placed the five-day toll at 132 officers injured along with at least 45 protesters although many protester injuries likely went unreported Reuters reported. Authorities detained 500 people during the clashes of whom 330 were released leaving nearly 200 in custody or under investigation the wire service added. The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare said nine protesters and four police officers received treatment on Saturday alone while seven officers were suspended pending probes into excessive force Al Jazeera detailed in its dispatch.
Prime Minister Edi Rama who has led the country since 2013 and secured a fourth term last year rejected demands that he step down stating that governments change through elections rather than revolution according to his comments relayed by the Guardian. Rama blamed foreign influences for some of the violence and urged parents to keep teenagers away from the demonstrations a Reuters account from midweek recorded. He described his responsibility as addressing legitimate concerns while keeping Albania moving forward the prime minister added in remarks to reporters.
The demonstrations trace back to opposition against a luxury resort development on the southern coast backed by investors including Jared Kushner the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump which critics say threatens a nature reserve and flamingo habitat BBC reporting and Reuters both traced as the spark for the Flamingo movement. Protesters have also highlighted rising living costs high education fees and a lack of job opportunities as central grievances that have drawn in younger Albanians Reuters correspondents observed in their coverage from Tirana. The project has faced legal challenges but developers maintain it will respect the environment according to statements carried across several outlets.
Albania remains one of the leading candidates for European Union membership and the scale of the current violence has drawn international attention with European observers monitoring developments closely a BBC overview of the protests indicated. The country’s Socialist Party government has condemned the destruction while pledging to protect public order. Protesters interviewed by various media described the actions as a new phase born from months of ignored peaceful appeals with one 19-year-old telling Reuters they felt pushed to the limits.
