Thousands march in Albanian capital as anti-government protests spread

Thousands of young Albanians marched through Tirana on Friday, breaking some windows and traffic lights on the fourth day of an increasingly violent student-led campaign to force Prime Minister Edi Rama to resign.

The demonstrations, which are spreading through the country, turned into a riot in the capital on Thursday, with protesters smashing windows, raiding a bank and clashing with police. They follow months of mostly peaceful demonstrations that the students say the government ignored.

"They are pushing us to the limits," said 19-year-old protester Enea, declining to give a second name for fear of arrest. He said his message to Rama was: "To resign as fast as possible before everything burns down."

The students accuse officials of corruption and neglecting education and say they are angry about the sale of pristine parts of Albania's coast to a luxury resort development backed by US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

The unrest is a challenge for Rama, who won a fourth term last year on promises to take Albania into the European Union and is aiming for membership as early as 2028.

"We will not bow to violence," he said on Facebook.

BUSINESSES APPEAL TO PROTESTERS TO LEAVE THEM ALONE

The students, many wearing masks, faced off against lines of riot police in front of the Education Ministry building. Some small businesses had their shutters down and notes on their facades saying: "We are with you. Do not damage our business all over the town."

In the coastal town of Lezha, police clashed with stone-hurling protesters. Protests have also spread to Elbasan, Skhodra and Korca, where demonstrators broke windows and set fire to garbage bins, local media reported.

"We've been protesting peacefully for 140 days, and nothing was heard. So this is our only chance to be heard and get our rights that we deserve," a 19-year-old protester who gave her name only as Klea said.

The demonstrations were sparked by the plans to build the resort, which has faced legal challenges.

Villagers told Reuters in July that their land was wrongfully sold for development. Reuters later reported that the man who sold the land was wanted by prosecutors for drug trafficking, charges his lawyer denied.

Reuters found no evidence of wrongdoing by Kushner, who is not directly involved in the villagers' dispute.

Political analyst Afrim Krasniqi said younger generations saw no future in Albania. "They see that all resources in the country, political resources, economic, everything is in the hands of oligarchs," he told Reuters. 

Corruption scandals have tarnised Albania's image over the years and analysts say the country is a hub for gangs seeking to launder money from drugs and weapons trafficking, complicating its efforts to join the EU.

Along with Montenegro, Albania is leading the accession process among Balkan countries.

The unrest is part of a wave of student activism in Europe. In France, high school students have staged weeks of protests and school blockades demanding more teachers and better facilities, arguing that deteriorating school buildings and overcrowded classrooms are undermining education.