Albanian protesters hurl Molotov cocktails at PM’s office -VIDEO

Thousands of protesters gathered outside the office of PM Edi Rama, calling on him and his cabinet to resign, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Clashed broke out as demonstrators threw Molotov cocktails at Rama’s HQ, ministry buildings and police vehicles, prompting officers to respond using tear gas and a water cannon. 

Hundreds of police officers were deployed and several roads in the capital were closed, marking a weekend of unrest in the country’s capital. 

Political tensions have been rising since December, when a special prosecution unit indicted Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku for allegedly interfering in public tenders for major infrastructure projects and favoring certain companies. Balluku denies the charges. 

An anti-corruption court has suspended Balluku from office, while prosecutors have asked parliament to lift her immunity to allow her arrest. Lawmakers rejected that request on March 12. 

Opposition leader Sali Berisha, who led Sunday’s march, was forced to leave the protest after suffering distress from tear gas exposure, according to witnesses. 

The opposition Democratic Party has staged repeated protests in recent months and vowed to continue demonstrations against Rama’s government. 

Albania, a NATO member seeking to join the European Union by 2030, has faced persistent pressure from Brussels to step up efforts to tackle corruption and organized crime.