Student protests over education costs and corruption entered a third day in Albania’s capital Thursday, while demonstrators demanded Prime Minister Edi Rama resign, The Independent reported.
Police used water cannons during the demonstrations, and damage to property led parliament to cancel a session, the report said. In written responses to Reuters, Rama rejected calls for his resignation. “We had elections last year, not a revolution,” he said.
Rama said he was open to discussing education costs, but argued that attacks on institutions and damage to public property did not reflect students’ legitimate demands.
Earlier demonstrations centered on a proposed luxury resort on Albania’s southern coast, backed by Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump. The project faces legal challenges, The Independent reported.
The European Union delegation in Albania called on authorities to respond proportionately after protest organizers alleged excessive police force against demonstrators and journalists. Health Minister Klodiana Spahiu, who visited injured officers in hospital, described the violence as “intolerable.”
Albania and Montenegro are at the forefront of the Balkan accession process, The Independent reported. Albania, alongside Montenegro, is targeting EU membership as early as 2028, The Independent reported.
