Clashes grip Tirana as Albanian PM blames 'foreign hands' for mounting unrest

Protesters clashed with police in Albania's capital for the fourth day Friday as Prime Minister Edi Rama blamed "foreign hands" for mounting unrest.

Police used tear gas and water cannons while protesters hurled stones at security forces, burning garbage bins to block roads across the city. Fighting continued into the night in several parts of the city.

Violent demonstrations have rocked Tirana since Tuesday, with thousands of protesters calling for Rama to step down over university conditions and high tuition fees.

According to AFP journalists, protesters attempted to force their way into government offices on the capital’s main boulevard on Friday.

Media reported that protests also spread to other cities with smaller scale violence and student boycotts of universities, marking a significant escalation in the months of anti-government protests.

The Tirana protests started with hundreds of people gathering outside the education ministry chanting "Rama resign!"

"We are not criminals. We simply want a better life for our parents and ourselves. We do not want to leave Albania," 18-year-old Ledia told AFP.

"The government's indifference and arrogance since the beginning of our movement have been unbearable and made the situation worse," said the high school student, who asked to be identified only by her first name.

Shopfronts have been smashed and several government buildings attacked, including the finance ministry, during this week's unrest.

According to a police statement, 160 people were detained for acts of violence on Thursday.

An AFP journalist saw masked groups smashing shop fronts and looting stores, with similar reports around the city.

Dozens of people, mainly police, have been injured in the clashes since Tuesday, according to authorities.

Interior Minister Ervin Demo said Friday that 156 people had been injured, including 97 police, in recent days.

"I would also like to remind you that we have far more reason to come together and work for the good of our country than to clash. This is a disguised attempt by those who seek to seize power through violence," Demo said in a statement.

Earlier he said that excessive police force had been registered in two instances and that two police officers had been suspended.

'Foreign hands'

There has been months of anti-government protests in the Balkan nation, initially sparked by a controversial resort development linked to US President Donald Trump's family.

Rama, in a statement, insisted the protest had "absolutely nothing to do with the hardships, problems or legitimate aspirations of anyone who desires a better life".

"All of this is the work of the very same hand, the hand that has gripped the Albanian opposition by the throat, the hand that has burned and destroyed Albania more than once."

The Socialist prime minister accused unnamed "foreign hands" of fuelling the unrest and seeking to hamper Albania's bid to join the European Union.

"These are foreign hands that do not wish for Albania to be at peace," he said in a Facebook video.

Rama has routinely dismissed protesters' concerns, accusing them of being manipulated by foreign interests -- without providing details or evidence.