In Tirana, protests by students and the opposition Democratic Party of Albania have escalated into clashes with the police. Participants threw stones, bottles with incendiary mixtures, and pyrotechnic materials towards the security forces, who responded by using water cannons and tear gas, Radio Televizioni Shqiptar reported.
The student protest has been ongoing for 19 days. On Saturday, October 31, students, lecturers, and young people gathered near the Ministry of Education, while the Democratic Party organized a separate nationwide rally near the government building in support of the students. However, the students refused to unite the two demonstrations.
Tensions rose throughout the day; protesters threw stones and other objects at the police, used slingshots and pyrotechnics, and some participants set fire to trash bins. The security forces used water cannons to disperse the crowd. After that, 'Martyrs of the Nation' boulevard, which runs in front of the government building, was temporarily cleared, but later some protesters returned to the government building area.
The police called on the participants not to block traffic and to refrain from violence. Despite these calls, clashes continued, and the situation remained tense.
Democratic Party MP Luciano Boçi stated that the opposition supports the students and does not intend to divert attention from their demands. According to him, the common political goal is the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama and the formation of a technical or interim government.
