Albanian PM says violent protests threaten EU membership bid

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said violent protests threaten the country's European Union membership bid, not his government, as unrest over corruption and living standards continues. Excavators removed paving stones outside his Tirana office ahead of further demonstrations. Student-led protests over corruption, unemployment, and education have spread across Albania, with demonstrators setting fire to government buildings and banks. Police responded with tear gas and water cannons, charging 388 people with criminal offenses. Rama blamed unspecified foreign interests for the unrest. The protests follow months of demonstrations against a coastal development backed by Jared Kushner and pose the biggest challenge to Rama's rule since 2013. Albania aims for EU entry by 2030, while similar riots over living costs erupted in France, Portugal, and Italy.