Albanian PM says protests threaten EU bid, not government

Summary

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said protests threatened Albania’s chances of joining the European Union, not his government, and that he would not resign amid days of protest and growing unrest. Student-led demonstrations have engulfed central Tirana and spread to other cities over the past week, while escalating violence is threatening the country’s EU prospects, Sky News reports. This follows reports on Friday that Rama blamed foreign hands for protests he said aimed to hinder Albania’s EU bid.

Timeline

1. The Straits Times

   18 Oct 2026, 11:20 UTCSource ↗

   The Straits Times reports that student-led demonstrations engulfed central Tirana and spread to other cities over the past week, and that Rama said the protests threatened EU membership, not his government.

2. Sky News

   18 Oct 2026, 12:54 UTCSource ↗

   Sky News reports that Rama said he would not resign despite days of protest and growing unrest, and warned that escalating violence threatened Albania’s chances of joining the European Union.