Albania’s PM dismisses calls to resign as student protests spread

Albania’s prime minister has dismissed calls for his resignation as thousands of protesters clash with riot police in the capital for the third day in a row, leaving government buildings damaged. “My responsibility is to listen, address legitimate concerns and keep Albania moving forward,” Prime Minister Edi Rama said in a written statement to the Reuters news agency, following protester demands for him to resign. “The alternative would be a betrayal of the Albanians who gave me a strong mandate ‌to complete negotiations on European Union membership,” Rama added on Thursday. This comes as riot police used water cannons and tear gas against crowds of protesters in the capital, Tirana.