The key facts
- Fines of up to €5,500 apply not only to those committing violence but to anyone who remains in the crowd or conceals their face
- Protests against Edi Rama's government have been ongoing since May and, since mid-October, have caused damage of over €2 million and left more than 350 people injured
- Rama said he was inspired by a French bill providing for fines of up to €10,000; Italy has adopted a decree with prison terms for violent protests
New measures against protest participants
On Wednesday, Albanian authorities introduced hefty fines for people present at demonstrations that turn violent. According to Euronews, the fines reach 500,000 lek (€5,500) and apply not only to those directly involved in violence: they are imposed on
What else the rules provide for
In addition to fines, the new rules allow the police to temporarily restrict gatherings in certain zones — near schools, medical facilities and government buildings — if it deems there is a risk of violence. Penalties are also introduced for calls to violence on the internet, along with a compensation mechanism for small businesses damaged during protests.
Context: months of protests in Tirana
Anti-government protests in Albania have been ongoing since May. The leaderless movement began peacefully — with demonstrations against a luxury hotel project in a nature reserve linked to the family of US President Donald Trump. By mid-October, the protests had broadened to include grievances over alleged corruption, shortcomings in the healthcare system and limited opportunities for young people in a country of 2.3 million. In recent days, demonstrations in Tirana have escalated into clashes with security forces, who used tear gas and water cannons. According to official estimates, the protests since mid-October have caused damage exceeding €2 million; more than 350 people have been injured in the clashes.
The European context of the restrictions
On Sunday, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said he had drawn inspiration from the French billapproved by the upper house of the French parliament: it requires protesters to compensate for damage caused by riots, up to €10,000. At the same time, in Italy a new security decree introduces harsher penalties for violent protests, including prison terms of four to 12 years for organizing groups involved in violent demonstrations. Thus, the Albanian measures fit into a broader European trend of tightening accountability for riots at rallies, although the French version remains a bill for now, while the Italian and Albanian ones are already adopted measures.
