Sali Berisha has reacted after the student protest, accusing the government of using force against demonstrators and calling for mobilization at tomorrow’s protest. The leader of the Democratic Party described the situation as a serious escalation against young people, while announcing a gathering at 2:00 p.m. in front of the Ministry of Education.
Strong accusations from the opposition after the protest
In his public reaction, Berisha condemned what he described as violence against students, citizens and journalists during the protest. He accused the government of Prime Minister Edi Rama of choosing force in response to a gathering that the opposition considers peaceful.
The rhetoric used by the Democratic Party leader was harsh, with political and historical comparisons, while he addressed direct responsibility for the situation to the government. His claims of injuries and hospitalizations remain part of the opposition’s version at this stage.
Call for a rally tomorrow at the Ministry of Education
Berisha called on Democratic Party members and activists, as well as citizens, parents and other supporters, to join the students in the protest announced for tomorrow.
According to his announcement, the rally is expected to take place at 2:00 p.m. in front of the Ministry of Education. The opposition’s political message is clear: the student protest is also being used as direct pressure on the government.
Claims of injuries and tension with journalists
In his statement, Berisha spoke of dozens of injuries, mentioning students, elderly citizens and journalists. He claimed there had been serious physical assaults and cases of protesters being forcibly transported away.
He also referred to reports and videos that, according to him, show violent behavior toward citizens. The same statement also mentioned claims of gas being thrown into residential buildings and journalists being injured while reporting from the scene.
Student protest enters open political confrontation
Beyond denouncing the incident, Berisha’s reaction pushes the student protest even deeper into an open political confrontation with the government. He linked support for the students to the demand for Edi Rama’s removal, giving the protest a clearly oppositional political weight.
This makes the distinction between facts verified on the ground and political narratives produced immediately after the clashes even more important. So far, the strongest public reaction has come from the opposition, which is seeking broad participation in tomorrow’s rally.
Berisha’s call places tomorrow’s protest at the center of political attention, with students on the front line and the opposition seeking to turn anger into public mobilization.
It remains to be seen whether the claims of violence will receive an institutional clarification and to what extent the protest in front of the Ministry of Education will produce a new escalation of the situation.