Thousands of students took to the streets in the Albanian capital on Tuesday, culminating in a chaotic second day of protests that saw flames engulf parts of the Education Ministry and other government buildings.
The movement began outside the ministry, with students demanding better university conditions and more secure employment. By the next morning protesters had set a portion of the ministry’s gate on fire, while the prime minister’s office, the finance and interior ministries, and nearby businesses were pounded by rock‑throwers, fire‑crackers and tear gas.
Police deployed tear gas and water cannons to quell the unrest. One demonstrator, Enida Bimi, told reporters that the fight was not limited to students but represented “all the people of Albania” eager to change a system marred by corruption, crime and unchecked power.
Government officials called the violence a dangerous escalation. Economy Minister Delina Ibrahimaj said “setting fire to an institution is not a peaceful protest. It endangers people’s lives.” Deputy Prime Minister Albana Koçiu urged citizens for “calmness, self‑restraint and maturity.”
Sixteen protesters were arrested on Tuesday over alleged violent acts. The unrest follows months of the so‑called Flamingo Revolution, sparked by a luxury resort project linked to Jared Kushner that exposed deep concerns over corruption and lack of public accountability.
The strike has revived criticism of Prime Minister Edi Rama’s government, with many viewing the protests as a call for systemic change and the possibility of a new political order in Albania.
