Violent demonstrations and fierce clashes between protesters and riot police broke out in central Tirana on Saturday, marking the fifth consecutive day of unrest. Masked protesters, many of them secondary school and university students, threw stones and Molotov cocktails at police forces who were trying to protect the Ministry of Education, one of the key focal points of the protests. Police responded with water cannons and volleys of tear gas, dispersing the crowds. There are also reports that rubber bullets were used for the first time.
These protests, which began over the summer, have grown into a broader anti-government movement, calling for the resignation of the prime minister over corruption allegations linked to his administration. Many of the protesters in central Tirana wore gas masks or face masks, while volunteers handed out syringes of saline solution to ease the pain from tear gas that covered the streets. Throughout Saturday, the constant sound of Molotov cocktail explosions could be heard.
In the afternoon, the focus of the protests shifted to the office of Prime Minister Edi Rama, located on the city’s main boulevard. Here, the crowds grew significantly in size, surpassing those of previous days. Riot police faced a relentless barrage of cobblestones and fireworks, responding with volley after volley of tear gas. Some of the gas canisters landed deep within the crowd, causing panic. Angered by the gas, the crowds waited for the smoke to clear and then resumed their attacks.
Black smoke from a burning vehicle and the sirens of police cars and ambulances broke the stillness of the afternoon. As dusk fell, special police forces arrived to reinforce the riot police. Many people were injured on both sides, while so far 80 people have been charged with causing public disorder, and hundreds of others have been arrested or are under investigation. Central Tirana increasingly resembles a war zone, strewn with broken glass and burned debris.
George, a 19-year-old medical student who works as an electrician to finance his studies, stood near the burned building of the Ministry of Education, with a scarf wrapped around his face and protective goggles. He is one of thousands who have taken part in the increasingly intense protests, which began in early June. In his gloved hands, he held two stones meant for the police. When asked whether he was worried about hurting them, he replied: “We also have mothers. We also have families. We were peaceful for 135 days. Now we are trying to do like in France… we are trying to make a revolution. Our government does not want peace, so we are using violence.”Many of the protesters were even younger. Klea, a 17-year-old in her first year of university in Tirana, said: “All students are boycotting their university lectures and have left school to fight for our rights.” She also claimed there were provocateurs among the protesters who were smashing shops and banks, in order to discredit the demonstrations. Students say they are against “the entire corrupt political class”. This raises the question of what the alternative is.
Osman Stafa, a well-known journalist at News24, who also describes himself as an activist for change, called for a “neutral, technical government for one year to organise new elections”. The irony for the wider European community during this latest wave of unrest is that Prime Minister Rama has long been viewed favourably by the European Union, which Albania aspires to join. In a social media post on Saturday morning, he urged Albanians “not to forget that we have achieved extraordinary things”. He blamed the opposition Democratic Party and what he called the “ominous agenda of foreign actors who aim to stop our progress” towards EU membership, which he has promised by 2030. He did not mention which “foreign actors” he had in mind.
The recent protests have seriously damaged Rama’s carefully cultivated image as a charismatic leader steering the country towards prosperity. Alongside the protests, a series of investigations by the Special Prosecution Service (SPAK) also threatens his government. Set up under pressure from the EU and the US in 2019, prosecutors recently arrested the powerful head of the intelligence service, Vlora Hyseni. She is accused of helping a well-known businessman, former government official and personal friend of Rama, Ergys Agasi, to evade justice. The 39-year-old is under arrest.
Agasi, through his lawyer, denied the charges against him and said he had no links to corruption. Hyseni told prosecutors that she contacted Agasi in an attempt to recruit him into the intelligence services. Some Albanian media claim he acted as an intermediary between the prime minister and organised criminal groups. Rama has acknowledged that he knows Agasi, but denies any knowledge of illegal transactions. “Edi Rama is caught between two fires,” said Lutfi Dervishi, a political analyst and university lecturer, speaking to the BBC. “He is a victim of his own success. By concentrating so much power in his own hands, he has made himself the only person people blame for their grievances.” Rama’s Socialist Party has a comfortable majority, with 83 of the 140 seats in the Albanian Parliament. The next parliamentary elections are not expected until 2029.
Taken from BBC News