New clashes between protesters and police broke out in the center of Tirana. Demonstrators threw stones at the Ministry of Education building, set fire to garbage containers and tore off sidewalk tiles. Police responded with tear gas and water cannons.
The protesters gathered around 2 p.m. in front of the Ministry of Education. The group then moved to “Skenderbeg“ Square, and later to the Council of Ministers building. There, tensions escalated again, with stones and fireworks being thrown at the police. Police briefly pushed the crowd back.
Earlier in the day, Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha led a rally in front of the Council of Ministers building. During the demonstration, a makeshift negotiating table set up in front of the building housing Prime Minister Edi Rama's office was set on fire.
There were no immediate reports of injuries in the latest clashes. However, as of October 19, a total of 310 people had been injured since the protests began, according to the Albanian Health Ministry. Among them are 191 police officers, 88 protesters and 31 bystanders.
From student demands to anti-government protests
The demonstrations began in Tirana on October 13 over poor conditions at universities, the high cost of higher education, insufficient financial support for students and limited job opportunities after graduation.
The protests later grew into an anti-government movement with demands for the resignation of Edi Rama and the creation of a caretaker government. Clashes with police, arson and damage to public buildings and private properties followed. Hundreds of participants have been detained, Albanian authorities report.
Prime Minister Edi Rama said that “violence will not be tolerated as a means of changing power“. He accused Russia, Iran and extremist movements, as well as Sali Berisha, of being part of a network of influence that incites violence and spreads disinformation.
Protests build on older discontent
The student demonstrations erupted amid months of protests known as the “Flamingo Revolution“. They are directed against plans to build a luxury resort on the southern Albanian coast by an investment company founded by Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump.
So social discontent among students has merged with political demands and opposition to the investment project. As a result, the protests in Tirana turned into a protracted crisis, marked by street tension and clashes with the police.
Sources: bta.bg, apnews.com, cna.al