Police used force against demonstrators in Albania’s capital Tirana amid growing calls for Prime Minister Edi Rama to resign.
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Published February 11, 2026
Albanian police fired water cannon and tear gas at demonstrators outside Prime Minister Edi Rama’s office in the capital Tirana as demonstrators demanded his resignation following a major corruption scandal.
On Tuesday night, demonstrators threw petrol bombs and smoke bombs at police, who sprayed water cannon and tear gas into the crowd. Clashes also occurred near Albania’s parliament building, according to media reports.
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At least 16 people were taken to hospital with injuries, and a further 13 were arrested at the scene. Media outlets have reported conflicts over whether only police officers, only protesters, or both were injured.
The protests are the latest in a series of anti-government demonstrations in Albania in recent months.
Political discontent has been building since November, when prosecutors alleged that Albania’s Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Baruch, who is also Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, interfered in the procurement of government construction contracts.
She was briefly suspended but reinstated the following month at Prime Minister Rama’s request.
The demonstrators say they want both Rama and Baruch removed. They also asked Congress to end Baruch’s immunity because he could face prosecution.
More than 1,300 police were called to Tuesday’s demonstration, just two weeks after another violent rally in Tirana.
Both protests were called for by opposition Democratic Party leader and former prime minister Sali Berisha.
The prime minister said Tuesday that the protests were a sign of a “peaceful uprising” underway in Albania, according to the Associated Press.
Berisha has previously been indicted on corruption charges.
Political analyst Mentor Kikia told The Associated Press that Albania’s leadership and opposition have done similar disservices.
“The public is distrustful because they have consistently voted for lesser evils to remove greater evils from power,” he said.
“The current perception is that if Rama leaves, Berisha will return. One left power because of corruption, and the other must also leave power because of corruption,” Kikia said.
