Albanian PM Rama refuses to resign as protests enter sixth day
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has ruled out resigning on the sixth day of violent protests in Tirana, blaming the unrest on an "external hand" in a video message Sunday. The demonstrations have left 272 people injured, including 169 police officers, according to the government. Police used tear gas and water cannons against hundreds of protesters demanding Rama's resignation over university conditions, high tuition fees, and corruption. Demonstrators set fires, broke windows, and attacked a police station and the interior ministry, while authorities responded with rubber bullets. The protests follow months of anti-government demonstrations initially sparked by a controversial tourist complex linked to US President Donald Trump's family. The European Commission condemned the violence, urging proportional responses and peaceful dialogue, while the US embassy called for calm and restraint.