Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has blamed "foreign hands" for the increasingly violent student-led protests that are calling on him to resign. Riot police clashed with protesters outside the education ministry for the fourth consecutive day as thousands of young Albanians marched through the capital, Tirana, on Friday.

The protests have intensified, with demonstrators engaging in clashes with police who deployed water cannon and tear gas, while protesters responded by hurling rocks. The demonstrations, initially focused on corruption and poor university conditions, have now spread beyond the capital to cities including Elbasan, Shkodra, and Korca, where local media reported property damage such as broken windows and set fires to rubbish bins.

Prime Minister Rama stated in a video address on Friday that the unrest was not solely a student phenomenon, suggesting external forces were at play. He asserted that "foreign hands that do not wish for Albania to be at peace" were involved and insisted the protests were unrelated to the genuine concerns of citizens seeking a better life.

The ongoing escalation follows months of largely peaceful demonstrations. Recent unrest has increasingly targeted financial and governmental institutions, with protesters hurling bricks and concrete blocks at the education ministry on Tuesday. Several buildings across the city, including the prime minister’s office, finance and justice ministry buildings, and bank branches, were set ablaze.

According to a police statement, 160 individuals were detained on Thursday evening in connection with alleged acts of violence. The protesters are demanding Rama’s resignation, alongside electoral and education reforms. While Rama has expressed willingness to discuss rising education costs, he has rejected calls for his resignation.

Rama, who won a fourth term last year on promises to advance Albania's European Union membership, has stated his responsibility is to listen to legitimate concerns and keep the country moving forward. He views his resignation as a betrayal of the Albanian electorate that gave him a strong mandate to complete EU accession negotiations.

Corruption scandals have significantly complicated Albania's aspirations for EU membership. Analysts note that the country has become a transit point for criminal organizations involved in money laundering derived from drug and weapons trafficking. Rama's government aims for EU membership as early as 2028.

The protests, which have seen days of unrest, were initially sparked by the sale of a portion of Albania’s coastline for a luxury resort development linked to Jared Kushner, former US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law. The situation remains tense as authorities grapple with the escalating demonstrations and the Prime Minister’s accusations of foreign interference.