Albanian protests turn violent: What we know
Albania's capital Tirana has seen months of protests from an anti-government "Flamingo" movement, but what started on Tuesday this week was on a different scale.
TIRANA: On Friday, young Albanians gathered in the capital city of Tirana, marching for four days now. These demonstrations, growing more violent, have been led by students who demand Prime Minister Edi Rama resign. The protests escalated into a riot on Thursday, with demonstrators smashing windows, breaking into a bank, and clashing with the police.
The students feel they are being pushed to their limits, according to 19-year-old protester Enea, who asked not to be named for fear of arrest. Enea urged the prime minister to step down immediately, before "everything burns down." The students blame officials for corruption and neglecting education, and they are particularly upset about the sale of prime coastal areas to a luxury resort development backed by Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump.
The Albanian leader has refused calls to resign, stating on Facebook that "we will not bow to violence." Students, many wearing masks, confronted riot police near the Education Ministry building. Some local businesses displayed signs saying, "We are with you. Do not damage our business all over the town." The unrest has spread beyond Tirana, reaching towns like Lezha, Elbasan, Skhodra, and Korca, where protesters broke windows and set fire to garbage bins.
One 19-year-old protester, called Klea, expressed her frustration, saying, "We've been protesting peacefully for 140 days, and nothing was heard. So this is our only chance to be heard and get our rights that we deserve." The protests began due to plans for a luxury resort, which has faced legal challenges. Villagers claim their land was wrongly sold for development, but Reuters found no evidence of wrongdoing by Jared Kushner.
Analyst Afrim Krasniqi noted that younger generations in Albania see no future for themselves, as resources are controlled by oligarchs. Corruption scandals have damaged Albania's reputation, and the country is a hub for money laundering from drug and weapons trafficking, complicating its efforts to join the EU. This unrest is part of a broader wave of student activism across Europe, with French high school students also protesting for better resources and facilities.
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