Albania’s Prime Minister, Edi Rama, rejects calls for his resignation as anti-government protests spread across the country

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama rejected calls to resign on Sunday, as anti-government protests spread from Tirana to several cities across the country. The demonstrations, led mainly by students, are fueled by discontent over corruption, a lack of jobs and conditions in the education system.

Protesters set fire to government buildings and bank branches and threw stones at law enforcement officers. Police responded with tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets. According to the authorities, 388 people have been charged, while dozens of police officers and demonstrators were injured.

In a speech broadcast on Facebook, Rama said it was not his government that was being put to the test, but Albania’s path toward joining the European Union. As the prime minister spoke, machinery was removing the pavement in front of his office in Tirana ahead of further protests.

The unrest represents the most serious challenge for Rama, who has been in power since 2013 and was re-elected last year for a fourth term. The prime minister accused foreign interests of supporting the protests and an alleged attempted drone attack on his office, without presenting evidence. Albania aims to join the European Union by 2030.