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TIRANA, Albania —Albania’s prime minister, Edi Rama calls the unrest a “national tragedy,” accuses political opponents of backing violence, announces €2,500 bonuses for frontline police officers and alleges foreign involvement, and rules out political changes before 2029.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama on Monday described the recent protests in Tirana as a “national tragedy,” accusing political opponents of supporting violence against police and state institutions.
Speaking at the Ministry of Interior alongside Interior Minister Ervin Demo and senior State Police officials, Rama held up a stone he said had been taken from protests on the capital’s main boulevard, using it to underline his message that the government would not negotiate with violence.
“You cannot negotiate with this. Because the moment the state negotiates with this, it has fallen,” Rama said.
He expressed support for police officers deployed during the protests, arguing that attacks on officers and businesses went beyond the legitimate exercise of the right to demonstrate. He condemned the use of Molotov cocktails, slingshots carrying screws and other projectiles against police, as well as attacks on private property.
“It is a national tragedy today that police officers — the men and women in uniform who are there to protect the state — are not only under attack from stones, but also from the screens,” Rama said, referring to what he described as public support for violence.
The prime minister argued that, unlike in other European countries experiencing protests, political parties in Albania had sided with people involved in violent acts and justified attacks on institutions.
Rama also accused radical groups, foreign services and forces he described as hostile to Albania of exploiting young people for political purposes. He referred to Antifa as part of what he portrayed as a broader campaign to destabilize the country, but presented no specific evidence during the meeting to substantiate allegations of foreign coordination.
He said some young protesters had been influenced by radical ideologies, online personalities and political actors. However, he stressed that participation in protests did not automatically make young people terrorists, describing some of those involved as students and school pupils whom he believed had been drawn into a radical political current.
Parents to Pay for Damage as Rama Threatens Loss of Scholarships
Another key part of Rama’s remarks concerned responsibility for damage caused during the protests in the capital. The prime minister said the bill for the destruction would be paid by the parents of high school and university students involved in violent acts.
“It will be a bill that follows them everywhere,” he said, warning that students who attack police officers could also lose access to free education and scholarships.
“They will not receive a single penny from Albanian taxpayers,” Rama declared.
The warnings were accompanied by his assertion that the right to protest could not be used to justify violence or the destruction of property.
€2,500 Bonus for Police Officers
During the meeting with State Police officials, Rama announced a €2,500 bonus for every officer deployed on the front line of the protests.
“€2,500 for every officer on this front, because you are dealing not only with stress but also with the need to cover extra expenses at this moment,” the prime minister said.
He also announced a substantial increase in police salaries from January 1, linking the decision to officers’ commitment during confrontations with protesters.
Rama said the bonus would be the same for all officers deployed on the front line, with no distinctions between them.
Rama Rules Out Political Changes, Citing His 2029 Mandate
Addressing calls for political change and a change in government leadership, Rama ruled out such a possibility, insisting that his mandate runs until 2029.
“There is no political solution through leadership changes, artificial changes by replacing one person with another. Zero. I do not treat power as my personal possession. My contract ends in 2029,” he said.
The prime minister also referred to the NATO summit that, according to him, will be held in Albania next year, presenting the event as an important opportunity for the country and its international standing.
In the same remarks, Rama claimed that Russia and Iran wanted to destabilize Albania, but offered no specific evidence for that allegation during his public statement.
The declarations come amid heightened tensions following several days of protests in Tirana, which have included clashes and incidents of violence.
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