PM rejects protesters’ demand to step down

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has rejected demands to step down after protesters outside his office in Tirana gave him a list of political demands.

The protest has continued for 23 days.

Organisers are calling for Rama’s government to leave office and for a caretaker government, not run by political parties, to lead the country for 12 months.

They also want changes to election rules, a rule stopping anyone from serving more than two terms as prime minister, and the reversal of laws on protected areas, cultural heritage and major investment projects.

Rama dismissed the demands in a social media post and claimed parts of the protest were linked to Iranian interests.

He accused the man who read the protesters’ demands of speaking for Tehran’s interests.

Rama said the protest would not weaken his government and claimed his Socialist Party would come out stronger.