All News on Politics in Albania
Albania’s parliament lifts the legal immunity of former prime minister Sali Berisha
Albania's parliament voted Thursday to lift the legal immunity of former prime minister Sali Berisha, who leads the opposition Democratic Party and is accused of corruption.
Tentative step taken in Beleri case
In a move on Thursday that, under certain circumstances, might open the door to a compromise in the case of jailed ethnic Greek Fredi Beleri, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama referred to him as the "elected mayor of Himare" for the first time, even though he backed as correct the ruling by the Special Court Against Corruption and Organized Crime in Tirana that denied him permission to attend a
North Macedonia's Osmani: EU Negotiating Framework Shields Against Bulgarian Demands
North Macedonia's Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani affirmed that Bulgaria's potential future demands on his country would not disrupt its European Union (EU) accession negotiations, highlighting the EU's framework as a barrier against such issues.
Berlin, Athens, and the Beleri case
As EU leaders meet in Brussels this week, their focus is largely on Ukraine and its ties to the EU. In the buildup to the summit, however, the Western Balkans also caught their attention. This includes the case of Albania and the imprisoned mayor-elect of Himare Fredi Beleri, which has not only caused a rift in Greek-Albanian relations, but also between Athens and Berlin this week.
Berlin backs Albania’s EU bid despite Athens’ opposition over jailed mayor
The public position taken on Wednesday by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in favor of Albania's candidacy to the EU revealed a slight crack in relations between Athens and Berlin.
Greece has clarified that Tirana's intransigence in the case of jailed ethnic Greek mayor-elect Fredi Beleri is in conflict with the European acquis.
“Shame on you, we have a dictatorship” – The Greek minority in Albania are angry after the court’s decision on Beleris (video)
Dozens of member of the ethnic Greek minority of Albania gathered outside the court that denied the mayor-elect to swear-in: “The court decision was orchestrated by Rama”
Fredi Beleri: Greece does not agree to Albania’s EU accession process
Diplomatic sources from Brussels reaffirmed on Tuesday Greece's stance that it will not consent to Albania's EU accession process without progress on the issue of the elected mayor of Himare, Fredi Beleri.
Beleri oath request gets rejected
Fredi Beleri's request to be sworn in as mayor of Himare was rejected by Albania's Special Appeals Court for Corruption and Organized Crime on Monday.
Beleri was arrested in May on voting fraud charges just before winning the municipal election in the predominantly ethnic-Greek southern Albanian region of Himare. He is currently in pretrial detention.
Albanian PM defiant over Beleri issue
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has reiterated his position on the case of Fredi Beleri, the ethnic Greek mayor-elect of Himare, southern Albania, currently in pretrial detention on charges of vote-buying, stressing the matter is exclusively within the jurisdiction of Albania's judiciary.
Albanian court delays decision on Beleri’s swearing-in request
Albania's Special Appeals Court for Corruption and Organized Crime has postponed for December 11 the examination of a request from Fredi Beleri, the elected mayor of Himara currently in pretrial detention, who is seeking permission to be sworn in before the municipal council.
Dacic: So-called Kosovo will never become OSCE member
SKOPJE - Serbian First Deputy PM and FM Ivica Dacic said on Thursday the so-called Kosovo would never become a member of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
Commenting on reports that Albania had sought OSCE membership for the so-called Kosovo, Dacic said that, fortunately, decisions in the organisation were taken by consensus.
This is how Kissinger spoke about Kosovo and Metohija ​
During his rich career, he also spoke a lot about the Western Balkans, judging that Kosovo and Metohija are a "national temple" for Serbs.
Kissinger thus questioned American policy in the Balkans, saying that "there is no clear definition of US interests in the Balkans".
"Europeans should deal with events in their own backyard," Kissinger said, the Guardian recalls.
Beleri oath request ruling next week
The decision on the request by incarcerated ethnic Greek Fredi Beleri to be sworn as mayor of Himare in southern Albania will be made by the neighboring country's Special Court on December 4, "after six months of procrastination," he told Skai Radio in an interview on Tuesday.
Athens under EU pressure over Albania
Intense diplomatic consultations are reportedly taking place to get Greece to agree to send a letter on behalf of the European Council to Tirana so that Albania can begin negotiations on its first batch of EU accession chapters.
No rule of law in Albania, says Beleri
The "rule of law does not function in Albania," the ethnic Greek mayor-elect of the Albanian city of Himare Fredi Beleri has said.
Beleri was detained in May on suspicion of voter fraud. All his appeals to be released in order to be sworn in as mayor have been turned down by the Albanian courts.