Tirana protests turn violent again as demonstrators hurl petrol bombs at police

Anti-government protests in Albania’s capital turned violent again on Saturday, 31 October, as demonstrators threw stones and petrol bombs at police outside the Education Ministry in Tirana. Officers answered with water cannon and tear gas as the clashes spread towards the prime minister’s office.

Two separate protests took place in the city on Saturday. Students, teachers and young people gathered near the Education Ministry, while the opposition Democratic Party held a rally in front of the prime minister’s office. The trouble began when the student march headed towards the government buildings, with some protesters throwing petrol bombs and stones — some fired from slingshots — at police and setting rubbish bins alight. Police pushed the crowds back with water cannon and tear gas, and the square in front of the prime minister’s office eventually emptied as protesters moved into nearby streets.

The unrest has now run for 19 days. It began on 13 October, when students took to the streets over education standards, tuition costs and a lack of jobs, and it has since grown into a wider movement against alleged government corruption and the rising cost of living. Protesters are demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama and the formation of a transitional government of technocrats.

The anger spilled into parliament on Thursday, 29 October, when opposition MPs set off flares inside the chamber and blocked access to the podium during a vote on a central bank law. Opposition leader Sali Berisha called governing lawmakers “criminals” before his microphone was cut off. Rama has refused to resign, offered dialogue with students, and introduced fines of 500,000 lek for anyone who takes part in a protest that turns violent.

Why it matters

The protests are the biggest challenge yet to Rama, who has governed Albania since 2013 and won a fourth term last year. What started as a student campaign over education has become a broad anti-government movement, and the repeated street violence — alongside the flare protest inside parliament — shows neither side is backing down.

What happens next

Attention now turns to whether the protests continue into a fourth week and whether Rama’s offers of dialogue and new economic measures, including cheaper fuel and more money for poor families, can calm the streets. The opposition is standing by its demand for Rama’s resignation, so a quick end to the standoff looks unlikely.

Sources

• https://lapresse.us/world/2026/10/31/albania-clashes-during-protests-in-tirana-stones-and-molotov-cocktails-thrown/ (LaPresse, 31 October 2026)
• https://www.byteseu.com/2488557/ (Bytes Europe, citing Radio Televizioni Shqiptar, 31 October 2026)
• https://www.thenews.pk/print/1445852-albania-opposition-disrupts-parliament-session-after-violent-street-protests (The News, carrying Reuters, 29 October 2026)

This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.