Rioters in Tirana, Albania, identified in various reports as student protesters, attempted to set various government buildings and luxury developments on fire in the capital on Tuesday, prompting police to deploy water cannons and tear gas to subdue a mob estimated to be in the thousands.
The student protesters, according to interviews with participants in the unrest, are rebelling against what they consider out-of-control corruption in the government of socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama, who has been in office for 13 years and won his fourth term in office in December in an election observers said showed irregularities. Their ire has turned, in particular, to the extensive number of luxury high-rises in Tirana that many young Albanians cannot afford and resort developments that protesters claim are the product of corrupt dealings and not a sign of authentic economic growth in the country.
Rama issued a statement to Reuters on Thursday affirming that he would not listen to protester demands to resign and condemning the riots for their violence and destruction.
The Tirana Times described the nation’s capital as “resembling a war zone” on Wednesday, as protesters used bricks, rocks, and other projectiles to destroy luxury buildings, as well as set some government sites on fire. Among the buildings attacked were the headquarters of the Education Ministry, the Justice Ministry, and the Finance Ministry.
“At the twin towers near Tirana’s Pyramid, a business on the ground floor was set ablaze. The extent of the damage remained unclear,” the Times said.
Al Jazeera also reported that rioters broke into the Education Ministry overnight from Wednesday into Thursday and attempted to set the building on fire, while others spent much of the day throwing rocks at the building. Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported damage at the other two ministries.
“Throughout the day, demonstrators hurled paving stones and petrol bombs, set fire to bins and used street fencing to erect barricades,” AFP noted.
Reports at press time indicate that the riots have not been deadly, but at least 29 people have been injured and another 35 arrested. Protesters appeared to continue roaming the streets and targeting government buildings on Thursday.
The Tirana Times explained that protesters have come to view luxury buildings and resorts as symbols of government corruption, not development, and thus have taken to attacking them. That outrage had already prompted waves of protests throughout the summer, on that occasion targeting just one resort project: the redevelopment of Sazan Island, a former Soviet military site that a firm associated with Ivanka Trump and husband Jared Kushner has taken on as an environmental cleanup project. Protesters objected that the final project of the redevelopment would be an expensive resort for international wealthy tourists, out of reach of the average Albanian.
In Tirana, the Times said, “Luxury construction has become increasingly associated in public debate with allegations of money laundering, questionable investment and the influence of powerful business interests.
“For younger generations, high housing costs, limited professional opportunities and continuing emigration have intensified frustration,” it added. “Many students increasingly associate their difficulties with a political and economic system they believe favors connections and privilege over merit.”
“Our prime minister is the meaning of the word corruption. You can only find work in your field if you know a guy who knows a guy,” a protester identified as Kiara told Reuters this week.
In an article published on Thursday, Reuters shared a statement from Rama in which he refused to resign, despite his decade-plus at the helm of the country, and condemned the rioters.
“My responsibility is to listen, address legitimate concerns and keep Albania moving forward,” Rama said. “The alternative would be a betrayal of the Albanians who gave me a strong mandate to complete negotiations on European Union membership.”
“Attacking institutions, destroying public property and threatening public safety have nothing to do with the legitimate demands of students,” the statement asserted elsewhere, claiming that the riots may be fueled by “some forces, at home and abroad” who do not want to see Albania join the European Union. Rama promised during the last election cycle last year that he would complete the process of joining the EU. He also claimed that Albania was addressing corruption “as never before.”
Elsewhere on Thursday, Rama appeared to turn his outrage to the local right-leaning opposition, accusing forces against his socialist establishment of escalating the violence.
“Students are always welcome, and we are always ready to sit down with them to talk, discuss and find solutions to matters that require resolution,” he said during a public event on Thursday. “These, however, are different hands. These are the hands that seek to pull Albania down whenever it tries to rise.”
The Albanian Parliament – itself no stranger to violence – canceled a planned session on Thursday in response to the protests. The cancellation will prevent a discussion, requested by the opposition Democratic Party, on the effectiveness of the Rama government’s response to civil unrest, or “public order management.”