Albanian police fired tear gas and water cannon at protesters in Tirana on February 20 as opposition supporters clashed with security forces during a rally demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.
The protest was called by the opposition Democratic Party of Albania amid a corruption investigation involving Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, who was indicted in December and later suspended.
Political tensions have flared repeatedly in recent months, with both government and opposition accusing each other of corruption and abuse of power in a country long marked by bitter rivalry between Rama’s Socialist Party, now on its fourth consecutive term in power, and the opposition Democratic Party.
Demonstrators gathered near the prime minister’s office before marching towards parliament, chanting “Rama, go away” and “Rama in jail” and waving Albanian and opposition party flags, according to local media reports. Some hurled Molotov cocktails, fireworks and other objects at police lines, prompting officers in riot gear to push them back.
In a February 21 statement, Tirana police said: “Pyrotechnics, Molotov's, and strong items were thrown and opposed by Police employees, during the rally held yesterday, 46 citizens were identified. 18 of them are arrested, the other 28 are prosecuted.” Authorities said they seized 25 unexploded Molotov cocktails and 27 mobile phones, adding that investigations were ongoing to identify others involved.
Police said around 30 people were detained, while the Democratic Party put the figure closer to 40.
Opposition leader Sali Berisha accused the government of repression. “We will stand on the battlefield. Our country is on a battlefield,” he told reporters, according to a Democratic Party statement. “As you can see, Tirana is in the hands of peaceful insurgents and the regime is huddled in rat holes.”
He added: “They have taken out and are using means prohibited by law against peaceful protests. But this doesn't make them more hopeful, on the contrary it makes them more hopeless.”
Berisha later visited two injured protesters at Tirana’s Trauma Hospital, accompanied by senior party figures. He alleged excessive force by police, saying officers who assaulted demonstrators would be treated as criminals. “These people will no longer be considered law enforcement officers, but will be considered thugs and will be dealt with as thugs wherever they are,” he said.
Rama’s Socialist Party won a fourth consecutive term last year and holds a solid majority in parliament. The government has pledged to press ahead with reforms as Albania seeks to join the European Union by 2030.
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