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"Fox News": US Congressmen Alarmed by Violence in Tirana Protests
2026-10-19 15:17:00 / AKTUALITET
US lawmakers are expressing growing concern about the ongoing violence that has engulfed Albania, the small NATO member country, as police have clashed with protesters in the capital, Tirana.
The violence continued for the sixth consecutive day on Sunday, as lawmakers sent warnings to Albanian authorities via social media.
"The Albanian people deserve freedom, the rule of law, and institutional accountability. The government must refrain from any form of violence against protesters. Young people deserve to have a voice in determining the future of their country," wrote Republican Joe Wilson, a representative from South Carolina, on Platform X.
Representative Robert Aderholt, Republican of Alabama, wrote in X: "All parties must reject violence and the government must respect the rights of peaceful protesters. Albanian youth deserve a voice in shaping the future of their nation."
Aderholt and Wilson were joined by Representative Keith Self, Republican of Texas, who stated in X: “The protests in Albania are the culmination of citizens’ distrust of corrupt politicians and fatigue from the complete disregard for the rule of law.”
According to Reuters, police said 388 people had been charged with criminal offenses during the demonstrations. An unspecified number of protesters and police officers were injured.
The US Embassy in Albania called on all demonstrators to exercise their right to protest peacefully, without violent unrest, asking all parties for restraint and calm.
Tens of thousands of people have protested amid accusations of government corruption, inadequate education, unemployment and a lack of opportunities. The protest movement, which is expanding across the country, is led by students and citizens who are also demanding accountability, an end to corruption and, they say, the restoration of democratic institutions and the rule of law.
Student-led demonstrations in Tirana, which have turned violent, have quickly spread to other parts of the country. Protesters have thrown stones at police, set fire to government buildings, smashed shop windows and destroyed private property. They are demanding Rama's resignation, while facing an increased police presence and use of force, including rubber bullets, water cannons and tear gas.
Prime Minister Edi Rama is portraying the demonstrations as a threat to Albania's European future, as the country finds itself on an uncertain path towards membership in the European Union.
On Monday, Rama blamed external forces for the violence, Reuters reported. “These are young men and women who have been ideologized and radicalized under the pressure or inspiration of that dark and new force that has emerged in Europe and the United States, which the President of the United States has described as a terrorist organization: ANTIFA,” he declared.
In a Facebook post, translated by Reuters on Friday, Rama wrote: “These are also foreign hands that do not want Albania to be at peace; they do not want Albania to see things clearly, to move forward or to focus every day on facing its own challenges to improve. They do not want Albania to become part of the united European family — a place where it can finally, once and for all, escape these hands and the yoke of an imposed choice.”
"Rama's attempt to equate the unrest in Albania with the protests taking place in France, Italy and elsewhere in Europe ignores the specific political grievances underlying the demonstrations in Albania," Agim Nesho, Albania's former ambassador to the US and the United Nations, told Fox News Digital.
Nesho said that Albania's European future should not be confused with the political survival of Edi Rama or any other government.
"European integration should strengthen democracy, judicial independence, transparent governance and fundamental freedoms — not provide political protection from public accountability. Brussels has a responsibility to independently investigate allegations of police abuse, protect the rights of peaceful demonstrators and take seriously the grievances behind this national movement," Nesho added.
The European Commission's Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighborhood condemned the violence that has engulfed Albania.
"We condemn the use of violence in Tirana and other cities in Albania, including arson, attacks on state institutions and the destruction of public and private property. Violence has no place in a democratic society, and the response to it must remain within the bounds of the law and be proportionate," the Commission declared.
The Commission noted the significant progress Albania has made towards EU membership and reminded Albanians that grievances should be addressed through constructive dialogue and in a peaceful manner.
The unrest in Albania comes at a time when the country has long been aiming to join the European Union. This process began in 2014, when Albania officially received the status of a candidate country for membership.
While the European Commission's 2025 annual report highlighted that Albania had made significant progress in justice reforms and the fight against organized crime, ongoing corruption allegations against the Rama government and the ongoing violence will further complicate the country's path towards EU membership.
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