Albania’s PM Refuses to Resign Amid Student Unrest in Tirana
Edi Rama rejected calls to resign after student protests in the Albanian capital escalated into unrest. Demonstrators accuse the authorities of corruption and demand attention to education.
Yulduz Salimov1 min read
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama on Thursday rejected calls to resign. This came amid mass protests in the country's capital: thousands of demonstrators, predominantly students, broke windows and clashed with police, who used water cannons and tear gas.
Protesters accuse officials of corruption and neglect of the education sector. They also expressed dissatisfaction with the sale of part of Albania's southern coastline for the construction of a luxury resort, a project supported by US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
Rama's refusal to resign was a response to the demands of demonstrators, who in the capital moved from student actions to unrest. Police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse those clashing.
Protesters' Demands
The main grievances of the demonstrators concern two issues: corruption among officials and insufficient attention to education. A particular cause for outrage was the transfer of part of the country's southern coastline for a resort project.
Clashes in the capital continued as the prime minister refused to comply with the demand to resign.
Source: france24.com
