Al Jazeera reported that Sunday's crowd gathered outside the Ministry of Education chanting "Rama, resign," in a tense standoff with police who used rubber bullets, water cannons and tear gas to hold back the crowds. Shops and institutions in the city centre have been secured with metal shutters, and workers removed paving stones to prevent them from being used by protesters.
Rama, who has been in office since 2013 and is serving his fourth term, said during a live social media stream that "the government is not being challenged," but implied the ongoing unrest could affect Albania's EU ambitions. "Albanians need to think very clearly," he said. "Do they want this, or do they want the EU?" Albania is hoping to achieve EU membership status by 2030.
Protesters are demanding better education, more jobs, a stop to alleged ongoing corruption and Rama's resignation. According to local media reports, demonstrators in Tirana have primarily attacked government institutions and the police, including the Ministry of Education building and the area around Rama's office. Rama blamed the involvement of a "foreign hand" for the surge in protests and said his government is doing its best to address corruption. He added that he was ready to listen to the justified demands of students and discuss the costs of education, while insisting that those responsible for the destruction of property must be held accountable.
The Ministry of Health said 65 people were injured on Sunday, 37 of them police officers, with 12 hospitalised. Since Tuesday, 272 people have been injured in the clashes, including 169 police officers.
Lindita Karadaku, a journalist for Albanian outlet TV Klan, said it was difficult to see how the unrest could unfold or how long it could last. "Prime Minister Rama is determined and has made it very clear that he will not resign, but also the young people who are protesting are determined and make it clear that they will not give up so easily," she said. "At this moment, no one is clear what tomorrow will bring."
Discontent in Albania has been growing for months. The first protests this year, called the "Flamingo Revolution," began in May against a controversial luxury tourist complex in the south of Albania affiliated with Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump.