Tirana was gripped by two separate protests, with a clear dividing line between the students’ cause and the opposition’s mobilization. At the Ministry of Education, the young protesters did not accept joining forces with supporters of the Democratic Party, and the situation led to tensions and clashes among participants.
Two protest calls, two different scenes
The opposition gathered its supporters at 12:00 in front of the Prime Minister’s Office, declaring that it was acting in support of the students. The students’ protest, meanwhile, had been announced for 14:00 in front of the Ministry of Education.
The opposition protest was attended by Democratic supporters who marched from the PD headquarters to the Prime Minister’s Office. At the head of the march were MPs Flamur Noka, Agron Gjekmarkaj, Elda Hoti and Tedi Blushi, while Sali Berisha was not present.
Incident at the opposition rally
During the gathering in front of the Prime Minister’s Office, an incident was also recorded among the protesters. One participant who chanted “Rama in prison, Berisha in prison” clashed with others and, according to reports from the scene, was slapped and forcibly removed from the crowd.
The episode highlighted internal tension within the rally, even though the protest had been publicly called as support for a cause that students have demanded remain independent of political parties.
March to the ministry and students’ rejection
After stopping in front of the Prime Minister’s Office, opposition supporters marched toward the Ministry of Education, where students had announced their own protest.
At this point, the political dispute over representation of the protest surfaced again. The students did not accept representatives or supporters of the PD joining the gathering, repeating the same position they had taken at the protest one week earlier.
According to reports from the ground, there were physical clashes among participants, while chants were heard from the crowd calling for the departure of protesters who had come from the opposition camp.
Police draw up security plan for two rallies in one day
For the two protests held in the capital, the State Police had prepared a security plan. According to the official version reported in the media, around 1,200 officers were deployed on the ground for order and security.
The increased police presence comes at a time when the student protest is trying to keep its distance from political parties, while the opposition is seeking to turn its support into a direct presence on the ground.
Students insist on continuing the protest
The students have warned that they will continue their protests despite invitations for dialogue from Prime Minister Edi Rama. Lecturers have also expressed support for them.
The day’s developments showed that, beyond attempts by politics to move closer to the protest, some of the young participants are openly defending its autonomy and rejecting party identification.
What was seen in Tirana was not simply a day of protests, but also a direct clash over the political control of a public cause.
The students’ refusal to line up under party flags remains the clearest element of this tense day in the center of the capital.