Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has told Reuters he will not resign over student-led protests that entered their third consecutive day. Police used water cannons to disperse demonstrators who smashed windows and damaged property in the capital. The unrest also forced parliament to cancel its plenary session.
Students are protesting rising education costs and corruption. They have called for Rama to step down. In written responses to Reuters, Rama rejected their demands and defended the electoral process.
“Governments change through democratic elections. We had elections last year, not a revolution,” Rama said. He added that his duty was to listen, address legitimate concerns and keep Albania on the path to progress. Resigning, he argued, would betray Albanians who gave him a strong mandate to conclude EU accession negotiations.
Rama said he was willing to discuss rising education costs. However, he rejected violence against institutions and the destruction of public property. He said such actions had nothing to do with students’ legitimate demands.
The protests pose Rama’s biggest challenge yet. He secured a fourth term last year. The unrest follows months of largely peaceful demonstrations over plans for a luxury resort on Albania’s southern coast. Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, backs the project, which faces legal challenges.
Rama also defended his government’s anti-corruption record. He said the EU had recently reaffirmed that Albania was tackling corruption more vigorously than ever. He suggested that some domestic and foreign forces did not want Albania to succeed in its EU ambitions. He vowed not to let violence derail the country’s European future.
Albania and Montenegro currently lead the Western Balkans’ EU accession process. Albania aims to join the bloc as early as 2028.
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