Bledi Cuci

One person died on Tuesday as police raided the compound of the Mujahedin-e-Khalq (People's Mujahedin of Iran), MEK in Mezez near Durres in Albania and clashed with some of the Iranian oppositionist group's members.

Gledis Nano was dismissed on Wednesday for having failed to "fulfill objectives", the Interior Ministry said. Nano has not reacted so far to the government decision.

He took office in October 2021, after the previous Chief of Police, Ardi Veliu, resigned for "personal reasons".

A Kosovo court said on Monday that it had detained two persons suspected of terrorism. Pristina Basic Court said the first person, with the initials H.S., was suspected of "voluntarily and in full conscience" joining Islamic State ISIS terrorist organization in Syria in November 2015.

Albania deported 80 Italian football fans on Wednesday after they clashed with police on Tuesday evening in Tirana on the eve of UEFA Conference League match between Roma and Dutch club Feyenoord.

Feyenoord fans also clashed with officers, throwing glass bottles, sticks and stones on Tuesday, trying to get nearer to the National Arena Stadium in order to clash with Roma fans.

Albanian police on Tuesday manhandled Ergjys Gjencaj, a journalist for the News 24 TV channel, and pushed his colleague Klodiana Lala after failing to detain a suspected criminal.

Minister of Agriculture Bledi Cuci (left), and EU ambassador in Tirana Luigi Soreca at the presentation of the assessment of November 2019 earthquake damage in Tirana on February 5, 2020. Photo: Gent Shkullaku/LSA

It estimated the cost of damage to both public and private properties at 844 million euros and the cost of their reconstruction at 1.07 billion euro.

The damage caused by the devastating earthquake that struck Albania on the morning of November 26 last year was estimated at more than EUR 985 million. The figure was announced by Agriculture Minister Bledi Çuçi in his latest damage assessment report on January 30, BGNES reported.

Three months ahead of parliamentary elections on June 18, Albania's Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama announced the departure of four ministers, allegedly to focus on the upcoming election campaign.

Rama named the four as Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri, Health Minister Ilir Beqaj, Youth and Social Welfare Minister Blendi Klosi and Local Issues Minister Bledi Cuci.