Rama condemns violence at protests: Hybrid war against Albania

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama today, at a meeting with high school principals in Tirana, condemned the violence at student protests, saying that the unrest is connected to “broader political efforts to hinder Albania’s progress toward EU membership.”

At the meeting at the Ministry of Education, Rama condemned the throwing of stones at police officers, stating that the violence was used to present the demonstrations as a movement in support of education and students.

“Citizens and students who exercise their right to protest will never be a problem. That is an undeniable freedom. Here we are talking about the use of violence,” Rama said, according to Albanian Daily News.

Rama described the situation as a form of “hybrid warfare,” claiming that domestic and foreign actors are using the legitimate concerns of citizens about social issues to destabilize the country and slow its European integration.

Speaking about the role of youth in the unrest, Rama also pointed to the influence of social networks, including TikTok, claiming that internet algorithms can expose young people to harmful content and contribute to a decrease in empathy.

He called on school principals, teachers, and parents to work together to address this problem.

Rama also rejected accusations that the police used excessive force against demonstrators and criticized the media, which he claimed are using the unrest to pursue political and financial interests.

Citing data presented during the meeting, the Prime Minister said that nearly 200 police officers were treated in hospitals for injuries, compared to about 80 injured demonstrators, of whom, according to him, less than half were students.

He assessed that these figures call into question claims that the police systematically used excessive force.

According to BBC reports on the seventh day of protests, last night, demonstrators clashed with riot police.

Demonstrators pulled stones from the cobblestones and threw them at the police, who chased them through the park. A column of police vehicles moved along the boulevard through the city center, led by an armored vehicle with a water cannon and tear gas canisters.