Reports mention several people taken into custody, and since October 13 a total of 310 injured have been registered, of whom 191 are police officers, 88 protesters and 31 passersby. The figures were made official by the Ministry of Health.
Rama: I will not resign, financial reward for police officers
On the seventh day of the protests, Prime Minister Edi Rama held a meeting with police officers, during which he announced financial rewards for employees engaged in handling the protests.
Rama stated that every officer who has been on the front line will receive a reward of 2,500 euros, and he also promised salary increases from January 1, 2027. “We will immediately make available a sum of 2,500 euros for every officer who is on this front,” the prime minister said.
On the other hand, the head of government warned that protesters involved in acts of violence will bear financial responsibility for the damage caused. He also added that the responsible persons will not benefit from certain state services.
“The financial bill for those damages will pursue you. They will not have free education, they will not have scholarships, because they threw stones at the parents of other children in Albania. They will not receive any service from the taxes of Albanians. (…) Teachers who take students and remove them from school and tell them: ‘Break the school windows’, as happened in Lezhë. That teacher and those other teachers will not see the school door again and will no longer hold any role as state employees, ever again in the state,” Rama emphasized.
The prime minister reiterated his position that he will not resign, despite protests that have continued for seven days. On the other hand, he again levelled accusations at the opposition, claiming that it is seeking to provoke “a second 21 January”.
At his press appearance in front of police officers, Rama repeated his claim that the protests are not student-led, but are financed by Iran and Russia.
Opposition demands Rama’s resignation and a caretaker government
In response to statements by Prime Minister Edi Rama, Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha put forward three demands for resolving the political crisis. He ruled out the possibility of dialogue with Rama.
“We demand Rama’s resignation. The formation of a caretaker government. Also, no obstruction of the demands of justice, its actions against the criminal offense of corruption. This means there can be no amnesty for those who have stolen”, Berisha stressed.
The developments of the past seven days in Albania have also prompted reactions from representatives of the European Parliament.
Marco Tarquinio, chair of the Delegation for Relations with Albania, and Andreas Schieder, standing rapporteur for Albania in the European Parliament, expressed concern over the escalation of violence during the protests.
In a joint statement, the two MEPs condemned attacks on institutions and the damage to public and private property, while calling on protesters to refrain from any act of violence.
At the same time, they expressed concern about reports of excessive use of force by police, urging authorities to show restraint and investigate any possible cases of violence.
The statement stresses that the freedom of assembly and peaceful expression is a fundamental right guaranteed by European legislation. “On behalf of the European Parliament’s Delegation for relations with Albania and as the standing rapporteur of the European Parliament for Albania, we express our deep concern about the recent events that have taken place in the country, and in particular in Tirana.
We condemn the violent escalation of these protests, attacks on public institutions and the destruction of public and private property. We call on protesters to exercise maximum restraint and to refrain from any act of violence, as these do not contribute to a solution and have no place in democracy.
We also express serious concern about reports of excessive use of police force against protesters. We call on the authorities to exercise restraint. We also call on the relevant bodies to make every effort to determine individual responsibility for any act of violence, including the excessive use of force.
We underline that the right to freedom of assembly and peaceful expression is protected both by the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights. Protesters – in this case, young people – have the right to express their views, especially on issues that directly affect their future. We therefore urge the authorities to protect the exercise of freedom of assembly, including peaceful protest.
We call for a peaceful, constructive and sincere dialogue between all interested parties, with the aim of finding a meaningful solution to address any grievances expressed by protesters, in line with Albanian laws and European standards. Respect for the rule of law remains the main criterion and a mandatory condition for Albania’s progress on its path to membership of the European Union”, the statement says./DW/