Albania’s protests reach Brussels: EU urges lawful, proportionate response

The European Commission issued a statement on 18 October about protests in Tirana and other Albanian cities. It condemned arson, attacks on state institutions and destruction of property. At the same time, Brussels said the authorities’ response must stay within the law and be proportionate, with responsibility established through due process.

The statement defends two principles at once. Violence cannot be justified by the right to protest, but individual crimes do not erase the freedom to assemble and express views peacefully. The Commission welcomed the Albanian authorities’ commitment to protect protest rights and urged dialogue.

For Albania, an EU candidate country, that balance matters: institutions are tested when tensions rise. But the Commission’s statement does not determine who initiated the unrest or set out every protester’s demand. Those questions need separate reporting. An official reaction should not be mistaken for a complete account of events on the ground.

Source: European Commission.