Albanian police fired tear gas and water cannon in Tirana on Sunday as violent anti-government protests entered their sixth day.
Prime Minister Edi Rama refused to resign.
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the education ministry, chanting “Rama, resign” over poor university conditions, high tuition fees and alleged corruption.
The unrest has escalated in recent days. Protesters set fire to rubbish bins, smashed windows at government-linked buildings.
They threw rocks and petrol bombs at police.
Saturday saw some of the worst violence, with demonstrators also torching cars and using debris as barricades.
But will mounting street pressure force a political change? Rama has made clear he is not stepping aside.
Government Faces Growing Pressure
In a televised address, he described the protests as the “work of an outside hand”.
He argued that the unrest threatens Albania’s ambitions to join the European Union.
His remarks have done little to ease tensions, as demonstrators continue to demand accountability and better conditions in education.
The US embassy in Tirana, a close ally of Albania, called for “restraint and calm on all sides”.
With protests continuing and clashes intensifying, Albania faces a difficult test: can the government address public grievances before the unrest deepens?
Or will the standoff push the country further into political instability?
