Albania protests escalate as PM Edi Rama blames outside forces for violence

U.S. lawmakers are growing concerned with ongoing violence gripping the small NATO nation of Albania as police clashed with protesters in the capital Tirana.

The violence continued for a sixth straight day on Sunday as the lawmakers issued warnings on social media to Albanian authorities. 

“The Albanian people deserve freedom, rule of law, and institutional accountability. The government must refrain from all violence against protestors. Young people deserve a voice in the future of their country,” Republican South Carolina Representative Joe Wilson posted on X. 

Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Ala., posted on X that: “All parties must reject violence, and the government must respect the rights of peaceful protesters. Albania’s young people deserve a voice in shaping their nation’s future.” Aderholt and Wilson were joined by Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas., who stated on X: “The protests in Albania are a culmination of the people’s distrust of corrupt politicians and fatigue over the total disregard for the rule of law.”

Police said 388 people had been charged with criminal offenses during the demonstrations, and an unspecified number of protesters and police have been injured, according to Reuters.

The U.S. embassy in Albania called on all demonstrators to exercise their right to protest peacefully with no violent rioting, urging restraint and calm on all sides.

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Tens of thousands have protested amid allegations of government corruption, inadequate education, unemployment and a lack of opportunity. The growing nationwide protest movement is driven by students and citizens also demanding accountability, an end to corruption and what they say is the restoration of democratic institutions and the rule of law.

The student-led demonstrations in Tirana, which have turned violent, have quickly spread to other parts of the country. Protesters have hurled rocks at police, burned government buildings, smashed shop windows and destroyed private property. They are demanding the resignation of Rama and have been met with a heavy-handed police presence, including rubber bullets, water cannons, and tear gas.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama speaks during a press conference following the EU-Albania Intergovernmental Conference in Brussels, Belgium, on May 26, 2026. (Daniel Gnap/NurPhoto)

Prime Minister Edi Rama is portraying the demonstrations as a threat to Albania’s European future, with the country on the unsteady path to European Union membership.

On Monday, Rama blamed outside forces for the violence, according to Reuters. “They are young men and women who have been ideologized and radicalized under the pressure or inspiration of that dark and new force that has emerged in Europe and the United States, which the President of the United States has designated a terrorist organization: ANTIFA.”

In a post on Facebook translated by Reuters on Friday, Rama said, “These are also foreign hands that do not wish for Albania to be at peace; they do not want Albania to see clearly, to move forward, or to focus daily on addressing its own challenges for the sake of improvement. They do not want Albania to be part of the united European family — a place where it could finally, once and for all, escape these hands and the yoke of a forced choice.”

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A protester holds an Albanian flag as he faces off with police water canon vehicles during an anti-government demonstration in central Tirana on Oct. 17, 2026, as protests continued for a fifth consecutive day over university conditions and demands for the resignation of Albanian Prime Minister.  (Armend Nimani / AFP via Getty Images)

“Rama’s attempt to equate the unrest in Albania with the protests taking place in France, Italy and elsewhere in Europe overlooks the specific political grievances driving Albania’s demonstrations,” Agim Nesho, former Albanian ambassador to the U.S. and the United Nations, told Fox News Digital.

Nesho said Albania’s European future must not be confused with the political survival of Edi Rama or any government.

“European integration is supposed to reinforce democracy, judicial independence, transparent governance, and fundamental freedoms—not provide political protection from public accountability. Brussels has a responsibility to examine allegations of police abuses independently, uphold the rights of peaceful demonstrators, and take seriously the grievances behind this national movement,” Nesho added.

Albanian Police officers in riot gear operate during an anti-government demonstration in central Tirana on Oct. 18, 2026, as protests continued for a sixth consecutive day over university conditions and demands for the resignation of Albania’s Prime Minister.  (Armend Nimani / AFP via Getty Images)

The European Commission Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighborhood condemned the violence gripping Albania.

“We condemn the use of violence in Tirana and other cities in Albania, including arson, attacks on State institutions and the destruction of public and private property. Violence has no place in a democratic society, and the response to it must remain within the law and proportionate,” the Commission said.

The Commission, noted the important gains Albania has made toward EU membership, reminded Albanians that grievances should be handled through constructive dialogue and in a peaceful manner.

The turmoil in Albania comes as the country has long sought European Union membership, which began in 2014 when it became an official candidate for accession. While the 2025 annual European Commission report stated that Albania made significant strides in judicial reforms and combating organized crime, the continued allegations of corruption in the Rama government and the current violence taking place will complicate its path to EU membership.

Reuters contributed to this report.