Fierce Clashes Broke Out Between Protesters And Police In The Albanian Capital

• 18.10.2026, 11:17

The continuous sounds of exploding "Molotov cocktails" could be heard throughout Saturday.

On Saturday, in downtown Tirana, fierce clashes between demonstrators and special police units took place for the fifth consecutive day, according to BBC.

Masked protesters, many of whom were high school and college students, threw rocks and Molotov cocktails at police officers trying to protect the Ministry of Education, which has become one of the main focal points of the protests.

In response, police used water cannons and tear gas, forcing the crowd to retreat. There were also reports that rubber bullets were used for the first time.

The protests, which began in the summer, have evolved into a broader anti-government movement, with calls for the prime minister’s resignation amid corruption allegations involving his administration.

Many of the protesters in central Tirana were wearing gas masks or face coverings, and volunteers were handing out syringes filled with saline solution to rinse their eyes and relieve the pain caused by the tear gas billowing through the streets.

The continuous sounds of exploding “Molotov cocktails” could be heard throughout Saturday.

In the afternoon, the epicenter of the protests shifted to Prime Minister Edi Rama’s office on the city’s main boulevard. Here, the crowd was much larger than on previous days.

Special police units came under a relentless barrage of cobblestones and fireworks and responded with a series of tear gas canisters. Some of the canisters landed deep within the crowd, causing panic.

Angered by the use of tear gas, the protesters waited for it to dissipate and then resumed their attacks.

As darkness fell, additional special police units arrived.

There were many casualties on both sides. So far, 80 people have been charged with participating in mass riots, and hundreds more have been detained or are under investigation.

Downtown Tirana increasingly resembles a war zone, littered with shards of glass and charred debris.

George, a 19-year-old medical student who works part-time as an electrician to pay for his studies, stood near the fire-damaged Ministry of Education building, wearing a scarf to hide his face and protective goggles.

He is one of thousands who have taken part in the rapidly intensifying protests that began in June. In his gloved hands, he clutched two stones.

When asked if he was afraid of hurting the police, he replied: “We have mothers, too. We have families, too. We’ve behaved peacefully for 135 days. Now we’re trying to do the same as in France… We’re trying to start a revolution. Our government doesn’t want peace, so we’re resorting to violence.”


Many of the protesters are even younger. Clea, 17, is a freshman at the University of Tirana. “All the students are boycotting classes at the university and have dropped out to fight for our rights,” she said.

She claims that there were provocateurs among the demonstrators who were vandalizing stores and banks in order to discredit the protesters.

Prime Minister Edi Rama of the Socialist Party has been in power for 13 years and dominates Albanian politics, just as his main rival, Sali Berisha of the opposition Democratic Party, did for decades.

The students say they are opposed to “the entire corrupt political elite.” So what is the alternative?

Osman Stafa, a well-known journalist with News24 who also describes himself as an activist advocating for change, has called for the formation of a “neutral interim government for a one-year term to hold new elections.”

The irony for the European community in this latest wave of unrest is that Rama has long enjoyed the favor of the EU, which Albania is seeking to join.

In a social media post published Saturday morning, he urged Albanians “not to forget that we have achieved remarkable successes.”

The prime minister blamed the protests on the opposition Democratic Party and also spoke of “sinister plans by foreign actors seeking to halt our progress” on the path to EU accession, which he has promised to achieve by 2030.

He did not specify exactly who he was referring to.

The recent protests have seriously tarnished Rama’s carefully crafted image as a charismatic leader guiding his country toward prosperity.

In addition to the protests, his administration is also threatened by a series of investigations being conducted by a special prosecutor’s office.

Established in 2019 under pressure from the EU and the U.S., the prosecutor’s office recently secured the arrest of the influential head of the intelligence service Vlora Hyseni. She is accused of helping a well-known businessman, former government official, and personal friend of Rama, Ergis Agasi, evade justice.

Through his attorney, Agasi rejected the charges against him, stating that he had no connection to corruption. Hiseni told investigators that she had contacted Agasi in an attempt to recruit him to work for the intelligence services.

Several Albanian media outlets claim that he acted as an intermediary between the prime minister and organized crime groups. Rama acknowledged that he knows Agasi but denies having any knowledge of illegal dealings.

“Edi Rama has found himself caught between a rock and a hard place,” political analyst Lutfi Dervishi said in an interview with the BBC. “He has become a victim of his own success. By concentrating so much power in his own hands, he has become the sole person on whom the people pin the blame for their misfortunes.”

The Socialist Party holds a solid majority—it has 83 of the 140 seats in the Albanian parliament. The next parliamentary elections are not scheduled until 2029.