PHOTO/VIDEO Violence at an Albanian opposition protest. Demonstrators threw fireworks at the prime minister's office

Thousands of supporters of the Democratic Party of Albania protested against the government led by Edi Rama in Tirana on Friday, in a demonstration that resulted in clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement.

Some of the protesters threw pyrotechnic materials at the office of the Albanian prime minister, and the police responded with tear gas and water cannons, according to Reuters.

In Albania, political tensions have escalated since December, when a special prosecution unit indicted Rama's deputy, Belinda Balluku, for allegedly interfering in public tenders for major infrastructure projects and favoring certain companies, charges Balluku denies.

On Friday, thousands of supporters of the Albanian Democratic Party chanted “Rama goes” and “Rama to prison”, displaying the national flag and party flags.

“Edi Rama's days are numbered,” said the leader of the Democratic Party, Sali Berisha.

Anti-government protesters in Albania used firework launchers against riot police in Tirana tonight following a rally in support of opposition Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha pic.twitter.com/qI0IspTNGY

— 3JANE TV (@3janetv) February 20, 2026

A court suspended Balluku from office, but anti-corruption prosecutors asked parliament to lift her immunity so they could arrest her.

Rama's Socialist Party, which won a fourth consecutive term as prime minister last year, has a comfortable parliamentary majority and it is unclear if and when Balluku, who was also infrastructure minister and a close ally of the prime minister, will have his immunity lifted.

Edi Rama accused excesses of judicial power, especially through the measure of preventive detention.

Albania aims to join the European Union by 2030, but the bloc says the country needs to do more to fight crime and corruption.