Speaking at a news conference, Berisha said Rama had acted “like a spokesman for the prosecutor’s office of a bygone era” by revealing the names of people he described as having criminal records.

“He presented a gallery of names, accusing them of various offences, ranging from weapons offences to drug production and use, and even incest,” Berisha said.

He put the ratio of injured protesters to police officers at least 15 to one, potentially reaching 30 to one, claiming that dozens or hundreds of injured protesters had avoided hospitals for fear of persecution.

Berisha said many protesters had been injured in clashes near the Ministry of Education, adding that minors had the right to defend their rights under international conventions and Albanian law.

He cited the toppling of former communist leader Enver Hoxha’s statue on Feb. 21, 1991, saying a 13- or 14-year-old had played a key role in the event.

“Minors have made history, and they continue to do so. They may be young, but their courage is boundless,” Berisha said.

He also criticised Rama for publishing images of people detained during the protests, citing the case of a medical student who denied media reports of involvement in criminal activity.

“He was a straight-A student, yet Rama portrayed him as a criminal,” Berisha said.

The opposition leader warned that the government’s handling of the student protests risked escalating tensions and could lead to civil conflict.

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A group of young protesters gathered in front of the water cannon and Rapid Intervention Force (FNSH) officers, placing decorative stones in front of the police line.

Police used loudspeakers to urge people to remain calm, stop violent acts against public institutions and move children away from the protest area.

“Citizens, take your children off the street! Stop violent acts against institutions,” police said.

The water cannon sprayed protesters gathered along the boulevard. Some young demonstrators temporarily dispersed following the intervention but later returned and resumed throwing stones at police.

Officers repeated calls for children and young people to leave the area and urged protesters not to provoke police, while demonstrators continued to gather in the square outside the government headquarters.

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After marching along Martyrs of the Nation Boulevard, the protesters headed to the ministry, which has been a focal point of clashes in recent days.

Unlike previous days, masked groups were not seen during the demonstration outside the prime minister’s office. Tensions flared again, however, outside the Education Ministry.

After several masked youths threw stones, police intervened with water cannon and tear gas to disperse the crowd of students and university lecturers.

Police repeatedly urged demonstrators to protest peacefully, warning that they would otherwise use water cannon and tear gas and make arrests. Officers also warned that they would take all necessary measures if protesters continued throwing stones.

After further stone-throwing, police responded several times with high-pressure water jets.

Protesters remained on Durrës Street, facing police and water cannon. As water cannon vehicles and rapid intervention forces advanced, demonstrators threw pyrotechnics.

Police then moved forward, dispersing protesters in several directions. The demonstrators left Durrës Street and headed towards the prime minister’s office.

Near the government building, they moved rubbish bins and other objects to form a barricade against police.

The youth-led protest entered its eighth day on Monday. Clashes in recent days have left both protesters and police officers injured, as well as minors, journalists and passers-by.

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Protesters threw stones, smashed windows at the Court of Appeal building on Elbasan Road and set fire to rubbish bins at several intersections across the capital.

Police responded by using tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowds.

Several protesters were also detained by police, according to reports.

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After spending four hours outside the Education Ministry, protesters marched along Martyrs of the Nation Boulevard towards the prime minister’s office, demanding a change in the country’s political class and measures to discourage young people from leaving Albania.

Tensions flared as demonstrators approached the security perimeter. Police used water cannons and tear gas, while masked protesters threw stones at officers.

Fires caused by pyrotechnic devices broke out at several points along the boulevard. Police began escorting protesters away from the area after pushing them back.

Demonstrators then threw Molotov cocktails towards police, setting two police water tankers on fire. They also set fire to a small car that had been brought to the boulevard by the protesters.

An ambulance arrived outside the prime minister’s office to take away an injured person.

The situation remained tense, with protesters continuing to throw stones and fireworks as police responded with water cannons and tear gas.

Protesters also attacked the Cyber Security Authority building with stones and Molotov cocktails. Flames were visible among the plants along the building’s perimeter wall.

The demonstrations, which began earlier this week, oppose the country’s political class. Violence first broke out around midday, when masked protesters tore down railings near the Education Ministry and placed them in the middle of the road.

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Protesters threw stones at police and placed rubbish bins in the middle of the road before setting them on fire.

Police responded with tear gas and water cannons, dispersing the demonstrators.

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The protest, which began at 11 a.m., saw students and other demonstrators clash repeatedly with police. Masked protesters damaged streetlights and attacked a commercial bank, breaking its windows.

Demonstrators later set fire to a building housing offices of a banking institution, while others threw stones and smashed windows at nearby businesses. The blaze engulfed the entire building, threatening surrounding structures.

Earlier, a section of the Ministry of Education building on the first floor had also caught fire.

During the afternoon, protesters moved towards the city centre, where they burned benches installed by the municipality, leaving them destroyed and littering the surrounding area.

“Resignation” and “Police of crime” were among the slogans chanted by young demonstrators.

Police used tear gas and water to disperse the crowd, while protesters responded by throwing stones and other hard objects.

Media reports said several protesters had been taken into police custody and that injured people had been transported to hospital.

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Acting Justice Minister Donika Gervalla urged opposition lawmakers to attend talks initiated by the ruling Vetevendosje to reach a political agreement, as opposition MPs chanted: “Call the session!”

The dispute follows the expiry on Aug. 7 of the 30-day constitutional deadline to constitute parliament. The session, which began on Aug. 6, has stalled after lawmakers failed to elect a speaker and deputy speakers.

The PDK and AAK have demanded that session chair Avni Dehari resume proceedings, while Vetevendosje insists on reaching a political agreement first.

Naim Jakaj of the Kosova Law Institute said the expiry of the deadline did not mean the process should stop, arguing that lawmakers remained obliged to complete parliament’s constitution. He also said negotiations over the presidency should not be a precondition for constituting parliament.

The political deadlock centres on the election of Kosova’s next president. Vetevendosje wants a broad agreement on a consensus, non-partisan candidate, while the LDK says the post should go to its nominee. The PDK has called for constitutional procedures to be completed first, while the AAK has accused Vetevendosje of causing the institutional impasse.

The European Union has urged Kosova’s parties to reach agreement quickly, warning that delays in forming institutions could hamper reforms and affect access to EU funds.

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The tensions escalated immediately after Democratic Party (DP) leader Sali Berisha concluded his speech, as some protesters targeted police forces deployed in a cordon in front of the building, putting officers’ safety at risk.

Protesters also set off fireworks toward the Prime Minister’s Office. In response, police used water cannons to disperse the crowd.

Protesters, joined by DP officials and lawmakers, headed to Parliament. Meanwhile, police presence around the building has been noticeably increased.

This demonstration marked the third nationwide protest organized by the PD, which is calling for the government’s resignation, the formation of a technical administration, and the holding of free elections.

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The opposition supporters blocked key roads and caused significant traffic disruptions for during a three-hour antigovernment protest in the Albanian capital.

Tirana police said on Tuesday that procedural and investigative actions have been conducted to identify individuals, who violated the law during the opposition-led rally in Tirana.

Police said that 21 more individuals have been charged, facing accusations of participating in an illegal rallies and obstructing public order.

Among those charged are several serving MPs and opposition representatives from the Democratic Party, Republican Party, and the Freedom Party.

According to police, the probe has shown that opposition leaders have urged demonstrators to block roads and disrupt traffic during yesterday’s protest.

“Protesters have violently acted against the police officers and have disobeyed orders to open roads to traffic,” Tirana police said in a press release.

The police have forwarded the case to the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office for further investigation.

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