Albania Ex-Minister Blames Sex Pictures on Revenge

Albanian media have published leaked photos and tape allegedly featuring a former energy minister in intimate positions with a woman, in what his supporters say is retaliation for his role in uncovering corruption.

Online portals in Albania have published pictures of the former Economy and Energy minister Dritan Prifti, and they say that a full video will be released soon.

Hours after the pictures began circulating online, Prift accused the Speaker of Parliament and leader of Socialist Movement for Integration, LSI, Ilir Meta, of organizing the leak. 

"I knew that this tape existed. I have been blackmailed for five years about the publication of the tape," he said.

Prifti claimed that Meta's subordinates made the video five years ago and that his wife knew all about it. "Today we are together and stronger than ever," Prifti said.

He added that the leaked pictures and the alleged tape would not stop him from denouncing corruption by Meta and his allies. "Now it is my turn again," he said.

LSI denied the allegations.

The pictures extracted from the sex tape have not been distributed widely in social media and have not gone viral, as some other leaked tapes have done.

Comments on online portals, which published the pictures, were full of disapproval for the content and showed a lack of interest into Prifti's private life.

Many of the commentators said they were more interested in learning the truth about alleged corruption affairs of their elected officials.

Prifti has accused Meta of being involved in allegedly corrupt dealings between a debt-collecting company DIA and CEZ Albania.

Meta has been identified in an international arbitrage case as one of the politicians who influenced and benefited from...