Police in Tirana fired tear gas and used water cannon in clashes on Friday (20 February) with opposition protesters demanding the resignation of the Albanian government following corruption allegations against the deputy prime minister.
Demonstrators hurled petrol bombs and fireworks at the Prime Minister Edi Rama's office and police responded with tear gas and water cannon.
Political tensions have escalated since December after a special prosecution unit indicted Rama's deputy, Belinda Balluku, for allegedly interfering in public tenders for major infrastructure projects and favouring certain companies, charges Balluku denies.
Thousands of opposition Democratic Party supporters chanted 'Rama, go away' and 'Rama in jail' carrying Albanian and party flags.
'Edi Rama's days are numbered,' said Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha. "Let them know that even if they go behind the sun, we will find them and punish them with the full force of the law.”
An anti-corruption court has suspended Balluku from office but the Special Prosecution Office, tasked with fighting corruption, has demanded parliament lift her immunity to enable her arrest.
Rama has complained about judicial overreach, especially with pre-trial detentions.
Albania aims to join the European Union by 2030 but the bloc says the country must do more to fight crime and corruption.
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Violent clashes broke out between police and opposition protesters in Tirana on Sunday (22 March) as demonstrators were demanding the resignation of the Albanian government following corruption allegations against the deputy prime minister.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 21st of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Anti-government protestors and police clashed in Albania's capital Tirana on Tuesday evening as thousands gathered to demand the resignation of the deputy prime minister over alleged corruption.
Thousands of people took to the streets of Albania’s capital Tirana on Saturday in an anti-government protest sparked by the indictment of Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku over alleged corruption linked to major infrastructure projects.
Argentina has reiterated its interest in resuming talks with the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, a disputed archipelago in the South Atlantic, after reports that an internal Pentagon email suggested reviewing Washington’s support for the UK’s claim amid tensions over the Iran war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Azerbaijan for talks with President Ilham Aliyev, holding meetings in Gabala on Saturday (25 April) during a working visit to the country.
Diplomatic efforts to end the Iran war suffered a setback on Saturday as U.S. President Donald Trump cancelled a planned envoy visit to Pakistan for talks, even as parallel regional diplomacy continued and military tensions escalated in Lebanon.
China’s growing use of electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles took centre stage at the Beijing Auto Show 2026, which opened on 24 April, highlighting the country’s expanding clean transport ambitions.
The United States has issued an international warning accusing Chinese firms, including AI start-up DeepSeek, of allegedly stealing intellectual property from American artificial intelligence labs.
According to U.S. media, Cole Tomas Allen, aged 31, carried guns and knives while he attempted to storm the White House Correspondents' Dinner in the Hilton Washington hotel on Saturday, 25 April 2026.
U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were rushed out of the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner by Secret Service agents after a 31 year old suspect attempted to storm event.
More than 1,000 firefighters are battling to contain two major wildfires in northern Japan for a fourth consecutive day, as flames advance towards residential areas and force thousands to flee.
Militants have staged coordinated attacks in Mali’s capital, Bamako, and several locations across the country, the army said on Saturday (25 April), in an assault apparently involving jihadist and Tuareg-led groups.
Two men were killed after the United States carried out a missile strike on a suspected drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Friday (24 April), the military said.
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