Albanians head to polls to elect mayors, municipal councils
TIRANA, May 13, 2023 – Albania’s voters will head to polls Sunday to elect mayors and councils for the country’s 61 municipalities in the first competitive administrative elections in eight years. Two groupings have fielded the most mayoral candidates — the ruling Socialist Party of Albania (SPA) and the Together …
Athens Condemns Alleged Vote-Buying Arrest of Greek Politician in Albania
Police arrested Fredi Beleri, a Greek expatriate mayoral candidate in the southern Albanian municipality of Himara, on suspicion of vote-buying, sparking diplomatic protests from Athens. Original post Here
Albania, Greece spar over mayoral candidate’s arrest
TIRANA, May 12, 2023 – Albanian police have arrested the opposition’s candidate for the mayor of Himara on charges of vote buying, leading to a spat between Greek and Albanian authorities over the ethnic Greek party representative’s detention two days before the Albanian municipal elections. The arrested candidate, Fredi Beleri, …
The arrest of Fredi Beleri, the Greek ambassador emergency meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Greek ambassador in Tirana, Kostandina Kamitsi, met this morning with the director of the region at the Albanian Foreign Ministry. The Greek diplomat has expressed to the Albanian side her concern about the arrest of Fredi Beleri, the candidate of the “Bashkë Fitojmë” coalition for the municipality of Himara. …
Fredi Beleri’s arrest, Dendias calls Rama
Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias contacted Prime Minister Edi Rama after the arrest of Fredi Beleri for vote buying. The conversation between them comes after the Greek ambassador in Tirana, Konstantina Kamitsi, following Dendia’s instructions, held a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Sources told ABC News that the …
In Local Polls, Albania’s Socialists Face Opposition in Disarray
Campaign policies are in short supply ahead of Albania’s May 14 local elections, in which the ruling Socialists face a Democratic Party split in two. Original post Here
Fredi Beleri, the candidate for Himara Municipality is arrested
Fredi Beleri, the candidate of the “Bashkë Fitojmë” coalition for the municipality of Himara, was arrested. He was escorted shortly after midnight to the premises of the police department of Vlora. Sources told ABC News that Beleri was arrested on the charge of buying and selling votes. He was escorted …
The car of the Russian embassy in Tirana crashes, one person dies, another is injured
The police have provide details of the serious accident that happened yesterday evening in the area of Sauk in Tirana, where the vehicle of the Russian embassy was involved. The car collided with the metal road banner, went off the road and then hit the curb. As a result of …
LGBT Watchdog Chides Balkan, Central Europe Countries for Rights Setbacks
ILGA-Europe, in its latest annual report and rankings, singled out Serbia and Turkey for backsliding in the field of LGBTI rights. Original post Here
Duda: Albania deserves to be part of the EU as soon as possible
The President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda, is in our country this Thursday, where he is conducting an official visit. Duda is the first Polish president after 20 years to visit our country, who in his speech has emphasized that it is important that his visit has already …
Historical narratives, political systems, institutions and economies across the region are being put to the test as old problems collide with new pressures, our selection of Balkan Insight’s Premium stories this week shows. Original post Here
Prime Minister Edi Rama has announced a change at the helm of the Interior Ministry. Besfort Lamallari will leave the post and move to the Prime Minister’s Office, while Ervin Demo will take over the ministry. Rama announced the move while presenting changes to the government. He said Lamallari would …
The Ministry of Defense reported 40 wildfires across Albania in the past 24 hours. Six remain active, nine are under monitoring and 25 have been fully extinguished. A total of 492 local personnel and 36 firefighting vehicles are supporting operations. The Armed Forces have deployed 133 personnel, one helicopter, two …
Klodiana Spahiu has been sworn in as Minister of Health and Social Welfare at the Presidency. President Bajram Begaj appointed her following Prime Minister Edi Rama’s proposal, after Evis Sala resigned from the post. Spahiu is a cardiologist and holds a medical degree from the University of Tirana. She later …
An exhibition dedicated to one of Albania’s leading 20th-century artists, Ibrahim Kodra, will open in Tirana on September 23. “Ibrahim Kodra – The Sea and Music” will be held at the Bank of Albania and will remain open until November 23. The exhibition features 41 works created between 1947 and …
Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister Blendi Gonxhja announced the launch of a national campaign to register artisans across Albania. The campaign aims to identify, assess and promote traditional crafts and the people who preserve them. Gonxhja said the campaign would give greater visibility to artisans and their work. It will …
Economy and Innovation Minister Delina Ibrahimaj has announced a new National Housing Fund to support not only vulnerable groups, but also professionals, young people and newly formed families. Speaking after a government meeting, Ibrahimaj said the programme will make 7,000 apartments available. Around 2,000 will be offered through interest-free loans …
The Governor of the Bank of Albania, Gent Sejko, met with UNDP Resident Representative Randi Davis to discuss cooperation in green finance, financial and digital education, payment systems, and support for SMEs. The meeting focused on Albania’s latest economic and financial developments and the Bank’s ongoing initiatives. Davis praised the …
Albania is increasingly attracting visitors through its natural heritage, with protected areas becoming key destinations for tourists. Diverse landscapes, rich biodiversity and outdoor activities are drawing more visitors and adding a new dimension to the country’s tourism offer. Environment Minister Sofjan Jaupaj said more than 4.5 million visitors explored Albania’s …
General jurisdiction prosecutors from Tirana, Elbasan, Durrës, Gjirokastër, Sarandë, Kukës, Korçë, Berat, Fier, Vlora, Dibër, Lezhë and Shkodër took part in a training session on prosecutorial ethics and professional dilemmas. The Dutch Embassy in Albania said the training was led by Dutch prosecutor Disa Jironet. It focused on complex cases, …