The student protest in Tirana escalated with tensions near the Ministry of Education, while clashes, forced entry into university premises and police intervention were reported at several points in the capital. According to developments reported from the ground, the unrest has spread beyond Tirana, with class boycotts at several universities across the country.
Gathering outside the Ministry of Education and police intervention
Students from the University of Medicine, UBT, the Polytechnic, the Faculty of Law and other institutions gathered outside the Ministry of Education, where pyrotechnic objects were also thrown at the building.
Police officers were positioned at the entrance to the institution, and the situation later turned into clashes. According to the version reported from the ground, police used water cannons to disperse the protesters, while stones continued to be thrown.
Tensions also at the Faculty of Natural Sciences
Beyond the ministry building, tensions were also reported at the Faculty of Natural Sciences. Some protesters broke down the main door and entered the faculty’s interior premises.
This development shows the expansion of the protest beyond a symbolic gathering, turning the situation into a security and management crisis for educational institutions and public authorities.
Young people join the protest, boycotts also in other cities
High school students from the “Partizani” school also joined the protest, broadening participation beyond the universities.
At the same time, class boycotts began at the universities of Elbasan and Shkodër in solidarity with the students in Tirana. The situation appears different in Durrës, Vlorë and Gjirokastër, where academic activity, according to reports, has continued normally.
Smoke in the building and reports of fire
Black smoke was seen coming from inside the Ministry of Education building, at a time when the situation was already tense and control on the ground appeared fragile.
It was also reported that a financial institution was set on fire, with the blaze growing large. The full circumstances of this episode and the specific responsibilities remain unclear.
The scale the protest reached raises serious questions about how the crisis is being managed by the responsible institutions, both in terms of security and in relation to the demands that have brought students into the streets.
At this stage, the picture remains tense: with clashes in Tirana, expressions of solidarity in several cities and an institutional response that appears more focused on confrontation on the ground than on addressing the causes of the unrest.