Albania in its sixth day of protests: 272 injured, Rama points to a “foreign hand”

Protests in Albania have entered their sixth day, and clashes between demonstrators and police in Tirana show no sign of easing. According to Al Jazeera, 272 people have been injured since Tuesday, October 13, including 169 police officers. That is a considerable jump from earlier figures, so the scale of the unrest is more serious than it looked in the first days.

The current wave of unrest in Tirana began on October 13, with discontent over conditions at universities and high tuition fees. It followed months of protests against the government triggered by a controversial resort development linked to the family of US President Donald Trump. Protesters demand the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama. Thousands of people are taking part, including students, and university boycotts have been reported in other cities. Some media call the movement the “Flamingo Revolution”.

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The figures from the fourth day, October 16, show the dynamic. Interior Minister Ervin Demo said that 156 people had been injured by then, including 97 police officers, and police detained 160 people for violence. Police used tear gas and water cannons, while protesters threw stones and burned garbage bins. Shopfronts were smashed, stores looted and government buildings attacked, including the Ministry of Finance. Between the fourth and sixth day the number of injured rose by more than 100.

There is also a question about the police themselves. Two officers have been suspended after excessive force was recorded in two cases. That suggests the authorities, at least formally, are tracking their own conduct, but neither the number of injured protesters nor the circumstances of all injuries are fully known.

Rama said the unrest has nothing to do with the hardships, problems or legitimate aspirations of anyone who wants a better life. In a Facebook video he said: “These are foreign hands that do not wish for Albania to be at peace.” He accused unnamed outside actors of fueling the unrest and trying to obstruct Albania's path to the EU. According to media reports, Rama has offered no details or evidence for these claims, so they remain his assessment, not an established fact.

No reaction from the EU or its institutions has been reported in the available coverage. The only mention of the Union is Rama's own statement. Instability in an EU candidate country is something Brussels watches, and Skopje, as a neighbor, has reason to follow the situation closely.

What is not known? It is unclear who is organizing the protests, as the reports name no organizer. It is also unknown whether the authorities will offer talks to students, or whether police will change their approach. It is likewise unclear what evidence stands behind the “foreign hand” claim.

What does it mean? The lawful right to peaceful protest and demands for education and a decent life are one thing; burning and attacking government buildings is another. Albania has both in the same streets, and the choices of authorities and protesters in the coming days will show whether the crisis calms or deepens.

MKNews Hub · Macedonia · October 19, 2026