Government
Rama blames PD for Saturday's violence: Its headquarters became a supply point for explosives, mercenaries came even from Spain
The prime minister said resignation cannot be imposed through violence, that he is ready to hear his opponents face to face and that citizens' demands will be answered with the 2027 budget.
By ANN Newsroom · Newsroom
October 25, 2026, 15:50 · Updated 18:40 · 2 min read
In brief
- Rama claims the Democratic Party “came out from behind the scenes” and put itself at the forefront of Saturday's urban violence.
- The prime minister spoke of paid foreigners, including masked people who came from Spain, without presenting public evidence.
- He said citizens' legitimate demands will be answered next week with the 2027 draft budget.
Prime Minister Edi Rama on Sunday accused the Democratic Party (PD) of direct involvement in the violence at Saturday's protest, when police and public and private institutions were attacked in several parts of Tirana. According to him, the PD “came out from behind the scenes, right at the forefront of urban violence,” while its headquarters became, as he put it, a political shelter and a supply point for explosive materials.
The claim of foreign mercenaries
Rama claimed that paid foreigners also took part in the protest, including masked people who had come from Spain, whom he called “mercenaries paid to commit violence.” He warned that they will not leave the country without facing justice in Tirana. The prime minister did not publicly present evidence for these claims.
The head of government described the violence at the protests as an anti-democratic flame that, he said, will be put out, and said the state will respond to anyone who raises a hand against public or private property. According to Rama, the violent are neither the majority nor the minority of Albanians, and many citizens may be against the government but are not in favor of violence.
“Whoever demands my resignation is wrong”
Rama said that whoever demands his resignation is wrong if they think it can be imposed through violence, adding that he is ready to sit down and listen face to face to anyone who opposes him. “I will never betray the trust of any Albanian,” he said.
The prime minister promised to answer citizens' legitimate demands early next week with the 2027 budget, citing the redistribution of income from economic growth to families, services for young people and students, and more merit-based hiring. The statement came a few hours after the government announced its package of measures against urban violence.
