Albanian police disperse rioters in central Tirana

Albanian police used water cannons and tear gas against rioters in the center of Tirana. During the protests, protesters threw incendiary bottles at the Ministry of Agriculture and the City Hall. This is reported by the ATA agency.

Clashes occurred on Saturday in Skanderbeg Square, where protests continued. The entrances to both buildings caught fire, but firefighters were able to extinguish the fire.

The riots continued for more than three hours. Some protesters hid their faces under masks and hoods, and some protesters attacked police officers with sticks and metal bars. In response, law enforcement officers used special means to disperse the crowd.

The protest movement in Albania began on October 13. Students spoke out against the high cost of education, unsatisfactory working conditions and lack of employment opportunities in the specialty. Protesters also demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.

The head of government, who heads the ruling Socialist Party, condemned the violence during street protests and said he did not intend to leave his post. Rama has previously claimed that since the protests began, the number of police officers affected relative to the number of demonstrators has been higher than in other European countries.

Amid ongoing unrest, the Russian Embassy in Albania on Thursday advised Russian citizens to avoid crowded places.