Albania price hikes demos enter third day

Demonstrators have marched through Albania’s capital Tirana and tried to block streets in other cities, in a third day of protests against recent price hikes that local authorities blame on the war in Ukraine.

Prime Minister Edi Rama’s government imposed price controls on fuel and has urged Albanians to use their cars less after petrol prices rose 50 per cent last week.

Hundreds of people protested peacefully for about two hours outside Rama’s office in Tirana on Friday before proceeding to the city’s main Skanderbeg Square where many held a sit-down protest.

Police prevented protesters from blocking main streets in the centre.

In at least six other cities protesters temporarily blocked roads, in some cases scuffling with police who detained scores of people.

The fuel price hike has had a knock-on effect on food costs in the small Balkan country.

Protesters accuse the government of profiting from the price hike by not reducing taxation.

They have urged it to emulate neighbouring countries – which have also been hit by global price hikes due to Russia’s war against Ukraine – and cut fuel taxes to cushion the blow to consumers.

In an effort to lower prices, the government on Friday convened a meeting with the main fuel suppliers.

It was decided that suppliers’ profit margins will be kept to a minimum in coming months while retail prices will be set daily and petrol stations that charge more will be closed.

Protesters said they would hold a country-wide protest on Saturday.

Albania price hikes demos enter third day
Independent Information