Antigovernment protests in Albania turn violent, at least 13 arrested 

Police in Albania have fired water cannon and tear gas against protesters outside Prime Minister Edi Rama’s office in the capital, Tirana, as the demonstrators called for his resignation following a major corruption scandal.

Protesters threw Molotov cocktails and flares at police on Tuesday night, who sprayed water cannon and tear gas on the crowds. Clashes also occurred near Albania’s parliament building, according to media reports.

At least 16 people were injured and sent to hospital, and another 13 people were arrested at the scene. Media reports conflict over whether the number of injured represents just police officers, protesters, or both.

The protest is the latest in a series of antigovernment demonstrations in Albania in recent months.

Political discontent has been brewing since November, when prosecutors alleged that Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, who is also Albania’s minister for energy and infrastructure, had interfered in the procurement of government construction contracts.

She was briefly suspended from office before she was reinstated the following month at Prime Minister Rama’s request.

Protesters say they want both Rama and Balluku out. They have also called for parliament to suspend Balluku’s immunity so she can face prosecution.

More than 1,300 police were deployed at Tuesday’s demonstration, just two weeks after another violent rally in Tirana.

Both protests were called by Sali Berisha, leader of the opposition Democratic Party and a former prime minister.

He said on Tuesday that the protests were a sign that a “peaceful uprising” is under way in Albania, according to the Associated Press (AP) news agency.

Berisha has also faced corruption charges in the past.

Political analyst Mentor Kikia told AP that Albania’s leadership and opposition offered similar disadvantages.

“Citizens are distrustful, having consistently voted for the lesser evil to remove the greater evil from power,” he said.

“The current perception is that if Rama leaves, Berisha will return. One left power because of corruption, the other must also leave power because of corruption,” Kikia said.