By Antonio Sánchez Solís
Tirana (EFE).- Thousands of young people protested on Thursday against Albania’s socialist government, accusing it of corruption, demanding educational improvements, and denouncing the lack of prospects after graduation, as the demonstrations escalated into clashes with riot police and vandalism.
The protests have intensified since Tuesday, when around 20 people were arrested during the attack on the Ministry of Education, leading to a fire in the building on Wednesday and injuring over 70 police officers and the arrest of an equal number of protesters Thursday.
Police Chief Skënder Hita stated that few of those arrested were students EFE found that most protesters are teenagers, many of whom are high school age.
By mid-afternoon, the Traumatology Hospital in Tirana had already treated 26 people.
Stones and tear gas were used by the police, who took a much tougher stance on Thursday. The thousands of young people who marched failed to reach the Ministry of Education, Parliament, the headquarters of Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party, and the seat of government late into the night.
Riot police, who have used water cannons and tear gas, have blocked access for students, many of whom are high school seniors. The students have thrown cobblestones and fireworks.
The protesters set fire to the entrance of the Ministry of Economy, which had already been damaged on Wednesday, and entered the building to vandalize its furnishings.
Protests have also occurred in other cities, including Elbasan, Korça, Durrës, and Shkodër. In one incident, a police commander was critically injured when a rock thrown by protesters struck him in the head.
Several students interviewed by EFE said violence was the only way to be heard by a corrupt and arrogant government.
Since May, Rama has faced a growing wave of citizen mobilization against corruption. It began as a protest against plans to sell land in a nature reserve for a tourism project linked to United States President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
The Flamingo Revolution, named after the animals that live in the reserve, has expanded into a demand for more democracy and transparency.
«The students’ demands are a natural extension of the main concerns of the protest movement, particularly fighting corruption, addressing the rising cost of living, and holding the prime minister accountable for his arrogance,» the «Flamingo Revolution» platform, which has no visible leader, told EFE.
Several protesters between 16 and 18 years old accused Rama of “selling out the country” with these real estate projects.
Beyond the actions of isolated violent groups, the radical protests by Albanian youth reflect frustration, similar to that seen in other countries with similar protests, such as France.
The prime minister has made it clear that he will not resign and has blamed the violence on the conservative opposition, accusing them of trying to “bring Albania down every time it tries to move forward.”
Rama, who has been in office since 2013 and whose Socialist Party won the May 2025 elections for the fourth consecutive time, this time with an absolute majority, told Reuters on Thursday that the victory gives him more legitimacy than any protest.
Under his leadership, the country has made progress toward its aspiration to join the European Union, a goal he hopes to achieve by 2030. However, that progress has not lifted Albania out of its status as one of the poorest and most corrupt countries in Europe.
Parliament Speaker Niko Peleshi, a Socialist, has linked the protests to the desire of “evil forces” to push Albania away from Brussels.
«Our students will be the first Albanians to enter adulthood as Europeans,» Peleshi said. EFE
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