Clashes grip Tirana as Albanian PM blames ‘foreign hands’

Tirana, Albania experienced four days of police clashes with protesters on Friday as Prime Minister Edi Rama accused unnamed "foreign hands" of inciting unrest, according to AFP journalists. Police utilized tear gas and water cannons while demonstrators hurled stones at security forces, resulting in shopfronts being smashed and several government buildings, including the finance ministry, attacked.

The protests, which began on Tuesday, have spread to other cities, causing smaller-scale violence and student university boycotts. The demonstrators, who gathered outside the education ministry and chanted "Rama resign! We are not criminals. We want a better life for our parents and ourselves," expressed dissatisfaction with the government's indifference and arrogance.

Interior Minister Ervin Demo reported that 156 people, including 97 police officers, were injured in the clashes. Rama denounced the unrest as a "disguised attempt by those who seek to seize power through violence," attributing it to "foreign hands" attempting to hinder Albania's path to EU membership.