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Albanian Businessman ‘Bankrolling Fugitive Ex-Deputy PM’, Prosecutors Claim

Albanian prosecutors believe businessman Ilir Dedja could be financing the comfortable life in Swiss exile of fugitive former deputy prime minister Arben Ahmetaj, who is wanted on corruption charges. Original post Here

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Albania Upholds Ethnic Greek Mayor-Elect’s Vote-Buying Conviction

An appeals court confirmed the conviction for vote-buying of Fredi Beleri, mayor-elect of Himara, whose case has caused a diplomatic row between Tirana and Athens – potentially barring him from Albanian domestic political life for two decades. Original post Here

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With court recognition of Berisha-led DP, main opposition party shows signs of unity 

TIRANA, June 25, 2024 – Ending years of turmoil, a court has placed Albania’s main opposition Democratic Party officially under the control of the faction that has the most support among voters.  The decision means the state-recognized seal and funding will now shift from the minority faction led by Lulzim …

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Eight doctors accused for abuse of power, the court gives the decisions

The Court of Tirana has set the security measure of “house arrest” and “compulsion to appear” for some doctors and employees of the Oncology Department at the University Hospital Center in Tirana for abuse of duty. According to the investigations, these people, who were employed at the state hospital “Mother …

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A Turkish citizen arrested in Kapshtica, is expected his extradition to Instanbul

A 50-year-old man from Turkey, sentenced to over ten years in prison for the production and sale of narcotics, was arrested at the border crossing point in Kapshtica. He was arrested at the entrance to Albania and arrested by the Narcotics Investigation Section of DVP Korçë, with the aim of …

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SPAK has requested two years in prison for the elected mayor of Himara

The Court of Special Appeal will give the decision on Tuesday at 13:00 for the elected mayor of the Municipality of Himara, Fredi Beleri. ABC News reporter Ermal Vija reports that the Appeal will be heard in connection with the announcement of the decision. Fredi Beleri and Pandeli Kokaveshi plead …

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Graft Probe Raises Awkward Questions for Albanian Defence Minister

Defence Minister Niko Peleshi was part of a trip to Italy in 2013 that Albanian special prosecutors say was paid for by two now fugitive businessmen right before they clinched a lucrative solar power contract. Original post Here

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More than 5 thousand cannabis seedlings and plants were destroyed, 2 arrested and one wanted

About 5396 cannabis seedlings and plants were destroyed in Lezhë, Elbasan and Shkodër as part of the police operation coded “Clean Territory”. In the forest of Gëziq village in Mirditë, 500 cannabis seedlings were found in cubes. 35-year-old Maringlen Gjeta was arrested and his brother was declared wanted. For this …

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Three arrested in Morina for smuggling, an police officers part of the investigation

Three people were handcuffed at the border crossing point in Morina, as they were suspected of smuggling (vehicle parts) from Kosovo to Albania. According to the police, this group carried out the transportation of vehicles by bus and sold them in Albania, while it was also arrested and a customs …

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A 38 year old declared wanted by Italy, arrested in Tirana

A 38-year-old wanted by Italian justice was arrested in Tirana, as part of the coded police operation “Wanted 3”. Altianado Feimi was put in handcuffs after being declared an international wanted, after the Court of Genoa, Italy, has assigned the security measure “Arrest in prison”, for the criminal offenses “Criminal …

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Berisha Attends IDC-CDI General Assembly in Brussels as Organization’s Vice President

*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(–header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”request-WEB:5f2c0e64-bc31-47c7-92dd-f2c184ecbc38-6″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:5f2c0e64-bc31-47c7-92dd-f2c184ecbc38-6″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-14″ data-turn=”assistant”> Democratic Party Chairman Sali Berisha is attending the General Assembly of the Centrist Democrat International (IDC-CDI) in Brussels, where he serves as one of the organization’s Vice Presidents. The assembly has brought together political leaders, former presidents, Members of the European …

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Penal Amnesty: Around 60 Inmates to Be Released from Drenova Prison

*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(–header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”request-WEB:5f2c0e64-bc31-47c7-92dd-f2c184ecbc38-7″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:5f2c0e64-bc31-47c7-92dd-f2c184ecbc38-7″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-16″ data-turn=”assistant”> Around 60 inmates at Drenova Prison are expected to be released under Albania’s new penal amnesty law, which is scheduled to be implemented on July 15. Under the amnesty, eligible male prisoners will receive a one-year sentence reduction, while eligible female …

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Ombudsman Raises Alarm Over Conditions at Shënkoll Prison: “It Should Be a High-Security Hospital, Not a Prison with Two Psychiatrists”

Albania’s Ombudsman is carrying out an unannounced inspection on Monday and Tuesday at the Shënkoll Prison Institution as part of its mandate as the National Preventive Mechanism against Torture. According to the Ombudsman, the preliminary findings are deeply concerning. The inspection team identified severe overcrowding in accommodation facilities and a …

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Parliament joins 51st Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie

TIRANA, July 13 – Albania’s permanent parliamentary delegation took part in the 51st Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie, held in Yaounde, Cameroon. Hatixhe Konomi led the delegation, alongside Ilirian Pendavinji and Luçiano Boçi. More than 300 lawmakers from 42 national, subnational and inter-parliamentary sections attended the session. …

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Next NATO summit to put Albania and PM Rama in international spotlight

TIRANA, July 13 – Albania will host the 37th NATO Summit after the alliance concluded its 36th summit in Ankara. Analysts say the decision highlights the strategic importance of Albania and the Western Balkans for NATO. Experts say the alliance has renewed its focus on the region as Europe reshapes …

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Albania marks 31 years in the Council of Europe

TIRANA, July 13 – Albania marks 31 years of membership in the Council of Europe on July 13, a milestone that reflects the country’s democratic transition and its commitment to European standards, according to the Agency for Media and Information (MIA). MIA said membership has supported reforms, strengthened institutions and …

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Murat Toptani, a versatile artist of the National Renaissance

TIRANA, July 13 – Murat Toptani, a sculptor, painter, poet, publicist and prominent figure of the Albanian National Renaissance, was born on July 13, 1868, in Aka, present-day Türkiye. His father, Said Toptani, lived in exile in Türkiye at the time, which led to Murat’s birth there. In 1884, Toptani …

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UK bans support for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps

TIRANA, July 13 – The United Kingdom has announced measures to ban support for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), designating the group as a threat to national security, according to the BBC. UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the new powers will make support for the IRGC a criminal …

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Governor Sejko Meets EBRD’s New Resident Representative in Albania, Hannes Takacs

On Monday, the Governor of the Bank of Albania, Gent Sejko, held an official meeting with a delegation from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), led by Hannes Takacs, the EBRD’s newly appointed Resident Representative in Albania. The delegation also included Ekaterina Solovova, along with other representatives from …

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Coalition of the Willing Summit: Rama Welcomed by Macron in Paris, Shares Footage from the Meeting

Prime Minister Edi Rama arrived in Paris on Monday to attend the Coalition of the Willing Summit in support of Ukraine. Rama said he had been invited by French President Emmanuel Macron and shared footage of his arrival, where he was welcomed by the French leader. Rama and other European …

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Berisha Attends IDC-CDI General Assembly in Brussels as Organization’s Vice President

*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(–header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”request-WEB:5f2c0e64-bc31-47c7-92dd-f2c184ecbc38-6″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:5f2c0e64-bc31-47c7-92dd-f2c184ecbc38-6″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-14″ data-turn=”assistant”> Democratic Party Chairman Sali Berisha is attending the General Assembly of the Centrist Democrat International (IDC-CDI) in Brussels, where he serves as one of the organization’s Vice Presidents. The assembly has brought together political leaders, former presidents, Members of the European …

News

Penal Amnesty: Around 60 Inmates to Be Released from Drenova Prison

*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(–header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”request-WEB:5f2c0e64-bc31-47c7-92dd-f2c184ecbc38-7″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:5f2c0e64-bc31-47c7-92dd-f2c184ecbc38-7″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-16″ data-turn=”assistant”> Around 60 inmates at Drenova Prison are expected to be released under Albania’s new penal amnesty law, which is scheduled to be implemented on July 15. Under the amnesty, eligible male prisoners will receive a one-year sentence reduction, while eligible female …

News

Ombudsman Raises Alarm Over Conditions at Shënkoll Prison: “It Should Be a High-Security Hospital, Not a Prison with Two Psychiatrists”

Albania’s Ombudsman is carrying out an unannounced inspection on Monday and Tuesday at the Shënkoll Prison Institution as part of its mandate as the National Preventive Mechanism against Torture. According to the Ombudsman, the preliminary findings are deeply concerning. The inspection team identified severe overcrowding in accommodation facilities and a …

News

Parliament joins 51st Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie

TIRANA, July 13 – Albania’s permanent parliamentary delegation took part in the 51st Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie, held in Yaounde, Cameroon. Hatixhe Konomi led the delegation, alongside Ilirian Pendavinji and Luçiano Boçi. More than 300 lawmakers from 42 national, subnational and inter-parliamentary sections attended the session. …

News

Next NATO summit to put Albania and PM Rama in international spotlight

TIRANA, July 13 – Albania will host the 37th NATO Summit after the alliance concluded its 36th summit in Ankara. Analysts say the decision highlights the strategic importance of Albania and the Western Balkans for NATO. Experts say the alliance has renewed its focus on the region as Europe reshapes …

News

Albania marks 31 years in the Council of Europe

TIRANA, July 13 – Albania marks 31 years of membership in the Council of Europe on July 13, a milestone that reflects the country’s democratic transition and its commitment to European standards, according to the Agency for Media and Information (MIA). MIA said membership has supported reforms, strengthened institutions and …

News

Murat Toptani, a versatile artist of the National Renaissance

TIRANA, July 13 – Murat Toptani, a sculptor, painter, poet, publicist and prominent figure of the Albanian National Renaissance, was born on July 13, 1868, in Aka, present-day Türkiye. His father, Said Toptani, lived in exile in Türkiye at the time, which led to Murat’s birth there. In 1884, Toptani …

News

UK bans support for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps

TIRANA, July 13 – The United Kingdom has announced measures to ban support for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), designating the group as a threat to national security, according to the BBC. UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the new powers will make support for the IRGC a criminal …

News

Governor Sejko Meets EBRD’s New Resident Representative in Albania, Hannes Takacs

On Monday, the Governor of the Bank of Albania, Gent Sejko, held an official meeting with a delegation from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), led by Hannes Takacs, the EBRD’s newly appointed Resident Representative in Albania. The delegation also included Ekaterina Solovova, along with other representatives from …

News

Coalition of the Willing Summit: Rama Welcomed by Macron in Paris, Shares Footage from the Meeting

Prime Minister Edi Rama arrived in Paris on Monday to attend the Coalition of the Willing Summit in support of Ukraine. Rama said he had been invited by French President Emmanuel Macron and shared footage of his arrival, where he was welcomed by the French leader. Rama and other European …