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Albania: Clashes as protesters call on government to resign

October 8, 2024

The protesters demand that the current leftist government be replaced by a caretaker cabinet. This comes as Tirana prepares to start discussions with the European Union over membership in the bloc.

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A protester against the Albanian government holding a smoke bomb on Oct 7, 2024.
Protesters in Albania demand the current government's replacementImage: Hameraldi Agolli/AP/dpa/picture alliance

Albanian police fired teargas to disperse opposition protesters who gathered in the streets of the capital Tirana to call on longtime leftist Prime Minister Edi Rama to resign.

Thousands of protesters took to the streets, calling out chants such as: "Down with the dictatorship."

The protests, organized by the right-wing opposition, demand the replacement of the ruling government with a technocratic caretaker cabinet ahead of next year's parliamentary election.

What happened in the protests?

More than 1,000 police officers were deployed across Albania's capital Tirana ahead of the protests. 

Protesters hurled petrol bombs at several government buildings, burning posters of the prime minister. Police said ten officers were hurt, while some protesters were seen with streaming eyes from tear gas.

Local media reported some were taken to hospital.

Police intensified the use of tear gas as protesters approached the parliament building.

This comes after years of corruption accusations against Prime Minister Rama's Socialists, mostly from the conservative opposition.

"[Rama] should give up, he should resign, he should go away, he should go in jail for the rest of his life," one protester told the Reuters news agency.

In office since 2013, Rama has won three consecutive elections.

Albania's opposition burning its parliament chairs in protest agains the government on Sept 30, 2024.
Albania's opposition has been holding protests at parliament against the current governmentImage: Florion Goga/REUTERS

What else has prompted the recent protests?

Former Prime Minister Sali Berisha's Democratic Party has also been holding protests at parliament in the past week after party official Ervin Salianji was imprisoned over "giving false testimony." 

The party says the case is politically motivated.

The Democrats are also seeking Berisha's release from house arrest. The former prime minister has been confined to his house since last year on charges of "passive corruption."

Albanian opposition leader Sali Berisha standing in the middle of the crowd and talking on December 30, 2023.
Opposition leader Sali Berisha has been under house arrest for almost a yearImage: Armando Babani/AP/picture alliance

Both the US and the European Union (EU) have urged the opposition to engage in dialogue with the government, saying violence won't help the country integrate into the bloc.

Later this month, Albania will start discussions with the EU as to how the country aligns with it on the rule of law, the functioning of democratic institutions and the fight against corruption.

This comes after the bloc's 2020 decision to start full membership negotiations with Tirana.

ftm/rmt (Reuters/AP)