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TIRANA, October 24, 2026 — Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama renewed his invitation for talks with anti-government protesters on Saturday, but the offer was rejected as a nationwide protest was expected to take place in Tirana, drawing students, university lecturers and citizens. Meanwhile, Interior Minister Ervin Demo said the State Police was reviewing hundreds of hours of video footage to identify suspects in acts of violence during recent demonstrations.
Earlier in the day, Rama renewed his call for dialogue and placed a table and chairs outside the Prime Minister’s Office, with a sign reading “Dialogue.” Protesters rejected the invitation, maintaining their demand for the resignation of the prime minister and his government.
Speaking to the media from the Prime Minister’s Office, Rama said he had listened for four months to protesters gathered outside his office, a group known as the “Flamingos.” He claimed they had not presented concrete demands and had repeatedly refused to engage in dialogue.
“I have listened to the protesters below my office for four months. I have listened more than anyone else,” Rama said.
He said he had contacted some protesters through messages and phone calls to invite them to talks. According to the prime minister, some had expressed a willingness to engage in dialogue but feared being branded traitors by other demonstrators.
Rama said the government was working to address the underlying grievances prompting citizens, regardless of their political affiliations, to support the protests.
“Protest is a right that no one can deny. The freedom to protest is a right that every democratic state must guarantee. And the path of peaceful protest is the path that leads to dialogue,” he said.
The prime minister accused some groups of encouraging violence during the demonstrations, citing individuals he described as ideologically and religiously radicalised, people with criminal records and the group “Antifa.” He also alleged that some individuals had been incited or paid to cause division, describing the situation as an attempt to organise an “ugly Balkan revolution.”
Demo: Police reviewing hundreds of hours of footage
Interior Minister Ervin Demo said police were examining footage from media outlets, social media and cameras installed at public and private institutions to identify people suspected of violence and damage to property.
He said hundreds of hours of recordings were being analysed with the help of technology, which he said was speeding up the identification process, including in cases where suspects had attempted to conceal their faces with masks.
“We are identifying cases on a daily basis, even when protesters have concealed their appearance with masks,” Demo said.
He added that police would submit documented evidence to the Prosecutor’s Office concerning people suspected of violence against public institutions and private property.
“The State Police will work every day, for as long as necessary, to bring to justice all those who have destroyed public property and harmed private businesses,” the minister said.
Demo said analysing the footage solely through human resources would be a difficult process, while technology was helping authorities identify suspects more quickly.
Nationwide protest in Tirana
Saturday’s protest was expected to bring together students from Tirana and other cities, university lecturers and citizens opposing the government. The protesters’ main demand remains the resignation of Rama and his government.
Recent demonstrations have been marked by clashes between protesters and police, as well as damage to public and private property. While the government has reiterated its readiness for dialogue and condemned acts of violence, protesters have continued to call for the prime minister’s resignation.
Rama has ruled out stepping down and argued that violence threatens Albania’s ambition to join the European Union by 2030. The European Union has condemned the violence while also emphasising citizens’ right to peaceful assembly.
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