Albanian opposition leader Sali Berisha and fellow lawmakers stormed parliament in Tirana on Thursday, setting off flares and smoke bombs and disrupting a parliamentary session.
Berisha, leader of the Democratic Party of Albania, addressed parliament surrounded by colleagues holding photos of protesters allegedly injured by rubber bullets. “These [ruling lawmakers] are criminals and they deserve tear gas, rubber bullets, cracked skulls and broken bones, not the young people,” he said.
Berisha and his colleagues unsuccessfully tried to prevent a vote on new legislation governing Albania’s central bank.
The protests began in May and were triggered by Prime Minister Edi Rama’s preliminary approval of a luxury resort linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump. The student-led protest movement has since evolved into something far bigger, with demonstrators citing economic stagnation, alleged corruption, poor education standards and high tuition fees. The demonstrations are the largest Albania has seen in decades and have turned violent, with hundreds injured, including police officers, and government buildings, banks and private buildings attacked and set on fire.
Rama, who has been in office for 13 years and won a fourth term last year, has refused to resign. He has introduced fines of more than $6,000, six times Albania’s average monthly salary of around $1,000, for anyone who attends a protest that turns violent, even if they did not participate in such acts.
According to Albania’s public broadcaster, Radio Televizioni Shqiptar, Rama has announced measures aimed at easing the unrest, including increasing the monthly scholarship stipend for students from low-income families and subsidised rent for students. Scholarships have also been extended to master’s degree students.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The protests are Albania's largest in decades, reflecting deep public frustration with long-serving Prime Minister Edi Rama over economic stagnation, corruption and education costs.
- The violent turn of demonstrations, with hundreds injured and property attacked, raises concerns about political stability and public order in the country.
- The opposition's dramatic action in parliament marks a significant escalation in the standoff between Berisha’s party and Rama’s government.
Background
Prime Minister Edi Rama has been in power for 13 years and won a fourth term last year. The current wave of protests was triggered in May by his preliminary approval of a luxury resort linked to Jared Kushner, but quickly expanded into a broader movement citing economic hardship, alleged corruption and high tuition fees. The demonstrations have been marked by violence, with both protesters and police among the injured.
Key Perspectives
Sali Berisha (Democratic Party of Albania): Branded government lawmakers “criminals” and said they “deserve tear gas, rubber bullets, cracked skulls and broken bones, not the young people.”
Edi Rama (Prime Minister): Has refused to resign and imposed heavy fines on violent protest attendees, while also announcing scholarship increases and subsidised rents for students as conciliatory measures.
What to Watch
- Whether the central bank law passes despite the disruption and how the opposition responds legislatively.
- Further government measures to contain protests or address protester demands beyond scholarship and rent subsidies.
- The level of violence at future demonstrations and any international reaction to the unrest.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
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- SupportedAlbanian opposition members stormed parliament and set off flares and smoke bombs.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Albanian opposition storms parliament, sets off flares and smoke bombs.”
- SupportedSali Berisha branded government members “criminals” during a disrupted parliamentary session.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “The leader of Albania’s opposition has branded members of the government as “criminals”, while he and fellow lawmakers disrupted a parliamentary session by setting off flares and smoke bombs.”
- SupportedBerisha and fellow opposition members stormed parliament in Tirana on Thursday in support of demonstrators seeking the prime minister’s resignation.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Sali Berisha and other opposition members stormed parliament in the capital, Tirana, on Thursday in support of demonstrators , who are demanding Prime Minister Edi Rama’s resignation.”
- SupportedBerisha said, “These [ruling lawmakers] are criminals and they deserve tear gas, rubber bullets, cracked skulls and broken bones, not the young people.”Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: ““These [ruling lawmakers] are criminals and they deserve tear gas, rubber bullets, cracked skulls and broken bones, not the young people,” Berisha, leader of the Democratic Party of Albania, said.”
- SupportedBerisha was leader of the Democratic Party of Albania.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Berisha, leader of the Democratic Party of Albania, said.”
- SupportedBerisha’s colleagues surrounded him as he addressed parliament, holding photos of protesters allegedly injured by rubber bullets.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “As Berisha addressed parliament on Thursday, his colleagues surrounded him while holding photos of protesters allegedly injured by rubber bullets.”
- SupportedBerisha and his colleagues unsuccessfully tried to prevent a vote on new legislation governing Albania’s central bank.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Berisha and his colleagues unsuccessfully tried to prevent a vote on a new law governing the country’s central bank.”
- SupportedThe protests began in May and were triggered by Prime Minister Edi Rama’s preliminary approval of a luxury resort linked to Jared Kushner.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “The protests began in May and were triggered by Rama’s preliminary approval of a luxury resort linked to Jared Kushner , the son-in-law of United States President Donald Trump.”
- SupportedThe demonstrations are Albania’s largest in decades.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “The anti-government protests are Albania’s largest in decades and have turned violent, injuring hundreds of people, including police officers.”
- SupportedThe demonstrations have turned violent, injuring hundreds of people, including police officers.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “The anti-government protests are Albania’s largest in decades and have turned violent, injuring hundreds of people, including police officers.”
- SupportedRama introduced fines of more than $6,000 for anyone who attends a protest that turns violent, even if they did not participate in violent acts; this is six times Albania’s average monthly salary of around $1,000.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Rama has introduced fines of more than $6,000 for anyone who attends a protest that turns violent, even if they did not participate in such acts. That is six times Albania’s average monthly salary of around $1,000.”
- SupportedRama announced measures that include increasing monthly scholarship stipends for low-income students, subsidised rent for students, and extending scholarships to master’s students.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Rama has announced a series of measures aimed at easing the protests. These include increasing the monthly scholarship stipend for students from low-income families, according to Albania’s public broadcaster, Radio Televizioni Shqiptar. Scholarships have also been extended to master’s degree students. Rama has also announced subsidised rent for students, the broadcaster reported.”