Albanian Opposition Storms Parliament Amid Nationwide Protests

Albanian opposition lawmakers disrupted a parliamentary session on Thursday, employing flares and smoke bombs inside the chamber in Tirana. The disturbance was led by the Democratic Party of Albania, whose members clashed with the ruling administration and unsuccessfully attempted to block a vote concerning central bank legislation.

Demonstrators outside have been calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama, who secured a fourth term last year and has served in office for 13 years. Sali Berisha, leader of the opposition party, addressed the assembly while colleagues displayed images of demonstrators allegedly injured by rubber bullets during recent unrest.

Albanian opposition lawmakers set off flares and smoke bombs during a chaotic parliamentary session.

The widespread antigovernment demonstrations began in May following preliminary approval for a luxury resort project associated with Jared Kushner. The student-led movement quickly expanded to address wider grievances, including economic stagnation, alleged corruption, and inadequate educational standards accompanied by steep tuition fees. These demonstrations have developed into the nation's largest protests in decades, resulting in numerous injuries among both civilians and police officers, alongside attacks on public and private properties.

In response to the civil unrest, Prime Minister Rama instituted substantial fines exceeding six dollars for individuals attending violent protests, regardless of their direct participation. Conversely, the prime minister also announced various measures designed to quell the protests, such as increased scholarship stipends for students from low-income households, extended financial aid for master's degree candidates, and subsidized rental options for students, as reported by Radio Televizioni Shqiptar.