Three people were killed in Albania Friday when opposition demonstrations turned violent and protesters clashed with police while trying to storm Prime Minister Sali Berisha's office in the capital Tirana.
The actions resulted in international condemnation of violence addressed to both sides.
Berisha and opposition leader Edi Rama swapped accusations for the violence, with the premier accusing the opposition of an attempt to "take power by force in a Tunisian scenario" and his rival speaking of "provocation" by the security forces.
The situation in central Tirana was calm, but still tense, late Friday, with a massive police presence visible in the streets as night fell after an afternoon of clashes.
The opposition rallied mid-afternoon in a protest at "widespread corruption" in the government. But, what was to be a peaceful protest turned into a riot, as demonstrators began throwing stones and Molotov cocktails. Police responded with water cannon, tear gas and, eventually, firearms.
The victims were "shot from close range," the head of the Tirana Military Hospital Sami Koceku said. At least one of the 22 injured civilians and 17 police was suffering a life-threatening condition.
Police fired when the crowd tried to attack the building housing the office of the conservative premier, the state news agency ATA said.
Demonstrators threw stones and Molotov cocktails at police and into the courtyard of the premier's office building. The entry gate into the yard was torn down and several trees set ablaze.
An official of Berisha's Democratic Party, Mesile Doda, described the riots as an attempted coup and accused the opposition Socialist Party head, Edi Rama, for the attempt, ATA said.
Speaking at his office, which was under siege a few hours earlier, Berisha referred to Rama and leaders of the protest as "criminals and bandits," as well as "bastards."
Earlier, Rama urged his supporters to remain calm, but accused the authorities of provoking the violence with an initial attack.
"Citizens from all over Albania came here to demonstrate today and were provoked, by water cannons, tear gas," he told a press conference, blasting the police as "unprofessional."
President Bamir Topi issued a statement urging the population to remain calm, to refrain from violence and for political leaders to start a dialogue and defuse the tension.
World powers expressed shock at the violence and urged Albanian leaders to channel the situation back to normality. Albania joined NATO in 2009, but its path to European Union membership remains blocked owing to lagging reforms, problematic elections and corruption.
"We deeply regret that today's demonstration in Tirana was not peaceful and resulted in some casualties ... We urgently appeal for calm and restraint on all sides and to abstain from provocations," top diplomats from the EU, United States and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said in a rare joint statement, released by their missions in Tirana.
"Violence and excessive use of force cannot be justified and should be avoided ... Albania is a democratic country and aspirant to EU membership with the necessary democratic institutions in place. We therefore renew our call for constructive dialogue and compromise to resolve the existing political differences," the statement said.
In a separate statement, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and EU enlargement commissioner Stefan Fule, also deplored the violence, dpa reported.
"We strongly regret the loss of human life in the context of today's demonstration in Albania," they said. "Demonstrations are instruments of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly for citizens. We deplore that today's event has spiralled into violence."
They urged an end to the stalemate if Albania was to "progress on its European path."
The Socialists had called the protest against "widespread corruption" in Berisha's government. The event quickly turned violent when protesters started throwing stones at police, injuring several.
Berisha heads a government in coalition with the small Socialist Integration Movement of Ilir Meta - who last week resigned as economy and trade minister to stand trial for corruption.
Over the past two years, the opposition Socialists have led protests against Berisha's government, alleging fraud in June 2009 elections, which were also marred by violence.
Topi referred to allegations of electoral fraud Friday evening, accusing Berisha's authorities of "stirring violence to secure power which they stole."