Opposition lawmakers in Albania disrupted a parliament session by burning flares on Thursday (October 29), following weeks of violent anti-government protests called by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.

Members of the opposition Democratic Party of Albania also blocked access to the podium when a law on the Central Bank was being voted on.

"These (ruling lawmakers) are criminals and they deserve tear gas, rubber bullets, cracked skulls and broken bones, not the young people," opposition leader Sali Berisha said during his speech before his microphone was cut off.

Other opposition members surrounded him during the speech, holding photos of protesters injured by rubber bullets. Some held aloft blue flares, the color of their party.

Student-led demonstrations, fuelled by anger over perceived government corruption, a lack of jobs and poor education standards, have engulfed central Tirana since mid-October and spread to other cities.

Demonstrators demanding Rama's resignation have set fire to government buildings and banks, smashed shop windows and pulled up paving stones to throw at police.

The unrest follows months of largely peaceful summer protests against a luxury coastal development backed by US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, and poses the biggest challenge yet to Rama, who has governed since 2013 and won a fourth term in office last year.

On Sunday, Rama introduced new measures to curb violence, including fines of 500,000 lek ($6,200) for anyone who participates in a protest that turns violent, even if they do not personally commit acts of violence.

This week the protests were mainly peaceful, and another is planned for Saturday.

Prime Minister Rama has again called on students for dialog and introduced new economic measures such as cheaper fuel and more money for poor families in an attempt to stop the violence in the streets.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

TIRANA, ALBANIA (OCTOBER 29, 2026)(ALBANIAN PARLIAMENT-Access all)

1. OPPOSITION LAWMAKERS IGNITING BLUE FLARES INSIDE PARLIAMENT

2. SPEAKER HOLDING A VOTING CARD WITH BLUE SMOKE IN FRONT OF HIS FACE

3. FLARE IN PARLIAMENT

4. LAWMAKERS VOTING

5. BLUE SMOKE RISING IN FRONT OF SPEAKER

6. RULING PARTY LAWMAKERS TRYING TO PULL PHOTOS OF INJURED PROTESTERS OUT OF THE HANDS OF OPPOSITION LAWMAKERS

7. OPPOSITION LAWMAKERS IGNITING A RED FLARE AND OTHERS TRYING TO STOP THEM

8. VARIOUS OF FLARES IN PARLIAMENT

9. OPPOSITION LAWMAKERS HOLDING FLARES IN PARLIAMENT, VARIOUS SHOTS

10. OPPOSITION LEADER OF ALBANIA DEMOCRATIC PARTY, SALI BERISHA ON PODIUM

11. (SOUNDBITE)(Albanian) OPPOSITION LEADER OF ALBANIA DEMOCRATIC PARTY, SALI BERISHA, (PARTIALLY OVERLAID WITH OTHER LAWMAKERS LISTENING) SAYING:

“On the streets of Tirana, young people’s bones were broken. Skulls were cracked, and the most brutal methods were used against young people. These members of parliament (from ruling party) you see here are more criminal than those who break bones and crack skulls. They are criminals, and they deserve tear gas, rubber bullets, cracked skulls and broken bones, not the young people.”

12. BERISHA SPEAKING