Hundreds of university and high school students clashed with Albanian police on Monday outside the Ministry of Education in Tirana during a protest over university conditions, tuition costs, and a lack of financial support.

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The demonstration began at 2:00 p.m. local time, when the young people blocked the street in front of the Ministry and threw paint, eggs, and firecrackers at the façade. Subsequently, some protesters tore up barriers and paving stones to hurl at the building, shattering its windows, according to local media reports.

Police detained 23 protesters, and at least six officers—as well as one journalist—were injured, the Ministry of the Interior reported, as cited by the Albanian public broadcaster RTSH. None of the injuries are life-threatening.

According to the official statement, police units intervened proportionately to neutralize those responsible for the incidents and restore order. Police responded with tear gas and a high-pressure water cannon before advancing on the crowd.

🚨🇦🇱 LIVE FROM TIRANA: Police assault a student who refuses to back down, confronting six officers before being arrested

✊ STAND WITH THE STUDENTS! STOP POLICE BRUTALITY!#Albania #Tirana #StudentProtest #ACAB pic.twitter.com/pHguk3N3ym

— Anonymous TV 🇺🇦 (@YourAnonTV) October 13, 2026

The students, primarily from the University of Tirana and the Polytechnic University, are demanding improvements to university facilities and student dormitories, as well as greater financial support for the student body. They are also calling for the resignation of the Minister of Education, Mirela Kumbaro.

During the protest, demonstrators chanted: Without youth, there is no Albania. According to the newspaper Gazeta Shqip, the mobilization was prompted by the poor condition of the country’s universities, the cost of education, and the lack of public financial aid.

The protest is part of the so-called “Flamingo Revolution,” an opposition movement against the government and the political system that began in May in response to a luxury tourism project in the protected Vjosa-Narta lagoon—a project linked to Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Since then, the movement has expanded its demands, calling for the formation of a technocratic government and the ousting of Edi Rama and veteran conservative leader Sali Berisha from power.

#Albania | The police violently cracked down on citizens protesting outside Parliament in Tirana, where they were demonstrating against Prime Minister Edi Rama and a tourism project linked to the family of U.S. President Donald Trump.

The clashes occurred during the final… pic.twitter.com/caorFLU1jP

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) July 23, 2026

Germany is preparing a new meeting of the Coalition of the Willing to coordinate further support for Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on 12 October following a conversation with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Russia continues to strike Ukraine’s energy infrastructure despite US President Donald Trump’s claim that Moscow has agreed to an energy truce. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is initiating a meeting of European leaders to discuss assistance to Ukraine in this situation.

Kyiv and Berlin have also agreed to hold a meeting of national security advisers in the E3 format, with Ukraine participating, according to the statement. The format involves an informal grouping of three leading European countries: the United Kingdom, France and Germany.

Zelenskyy and Merz discuss energy truce and support for Ukraine

During the conversation, the two sides also discussed US President Donald Trump’s proposal for an energy truce and Russia’s subsequent actions. Russian forces continue to attack Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, Zelenskyy noted.

“This is exactly how the Russians behave when pressure eases. It is very important that Europe continue to act on principle,” Zelenskyy stressed.

Germany is coordinating preparations for a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, the Ukrainian president noted. The two sides also discussed support for Ukraine’s financial stability. Further steps are to be coordinated in greater detail during a meeting scheduled for this week, Zelenskyy said.

The Coalition of the Willing seeks additional support for Ukraine

The Coalition of the Willing was initiated by the United Kingdom and France, which held talks with representatives of 37 countries in March 2025 on supporting Ukraine in the event of a peace agreement. The initiative envisaged financial assistance and the deployment of troops, air forces or naval forces to protect Ukraine against renewed Russian aggression, Bloomberg reported.

The latest meeting of the Coalition of the Willing took place on 24 August and was the 16th meeting, according to a statement on the website of the President of Ukraine. Zelenskyy called on partners to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense and provide at least 300 missiles for Patriot systems for the winter, the statement said.

The president also proposed bringing forward part of the European loan financing planned for 2027 so that Ukraine could receive the funds this year. He separately stressed the need to find a mechanism for using frozen Russian assets to defend Ukraine and to unblock the maritime corridor in the Black Sea.

“We value this format—the Coalition of the Willing. It brings together countries that are ready not only to talk about security but also to act. We need this—to act and build real security together,” Zelenskyy stressed.

A ceasefire in words, but fresh attacks on energy infrastructure in practice

Ukraine and Russia had allegedly agreed to an immediate energy ceasefire, US President Donald Trump said on Truth Social on 11 October. However, at the time of publication, neither Kyiv nor Moscow had confirmed such an agreement, Ukrainska Pravda reported.

Ukraine supports the ceasefire and is awaiting details from the US side, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a post on X the same day. Russia must also agree to halt the strikes, he stressed.

Ukrainian forces had received the relevant orders, and Kyiv was ready to refrain from striking Russian energy infrastructure provided Russia reciprocated, Zelenskyy said in his evening address on 11 October.

Russia continued attacking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure after the ceasefire was announced, including striking a gas production facility and a petrol station, Zelenskyy said on his official Telegram channel on 12 October. Moscow had shown no willingness to abide by the ceasefire, the president added.