Xhafa

Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama confirmed the resignation of Albanian Interior Minister Fatmir Xhafaj on Saturday, naming his security advisor Aleksander Lleshi, a former General in the Albanian Army, as the new nominee for the post.

Thousands of Albanian opposition supporters rallied in the capital Tirana on May 26 calling for the resignation of interior minister Fatmir Xhafaj, whose brother has been convicted of drug trafficking.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has responded to the week-long attack by the opposition Democratic Party, which has claimed that Interior Minister Fatmir Xhafaj's brother was involved in drug trafficking, while opposition protesters continued to call for the minister's resignation.

Albania's opposition Democratic Party on Monday followed up its week-long attack on Interior Minister Fatmir Xhafaj by claiming that his brother, Agron Xhafaj, who has a previous conviction in Italy for drug dealing, is still in the same business.

Albanian police organisations called on Edi Rama's government to vet the state police next year in a fair way, and not let it serve as a showcase for his new Interior Minister.

Interior Minister Fatmir Xhafaj has issued a directive announcing the start of the vetting process in 2018, once the relevant legislation is adopted this year.