Albania

Mayor of Tepelena Termet Peci (centre) addressing supporters in the Church of St Nicolas in the village of Lekel. Photo: Termet Peci Facebook

"The use of sacred churches for political activity insults religious and institutional feelings," a statement issued on Monday reads.

Seven international rights organisations have urged politicians of all sides in polarised Albania to stop their smear campaigns against journalists, and have urged the authorities to fully investigate recent unresolved attacks on reporters. They also urged the media community to show solidarity and report cases of threats and intimidation.

The Agony of Choice

Croatia's presidential election is not due before the second half of December, but the field of (self-declared) candidates is already getting crowded. Aside from the obvious, incumbent Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, former Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic has also decided to throw his hat into the ring.

Protesters faced off police in a dozen towns across Albania on Wednesday, as opposition-run municipalities demanded that the Central Election Commission, CEC, vacate municipal properties planned for use as polling stations in hotly disputed local elections, which the opposition is boycotting.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama claimed on Monday that he is being blackmailed by the publication of prosecution-intercepted conversations that are alleged to highlight widespread violations by scores of Socialist Party officials during local elections in the Dibra municipality in 2016.

The leader of Albania's opposition Democratic Party, Lulzim Basha, has been ordered to appear before prosecutors on Monday to answer questions in a case related to payments that his party made to US lobbying firm Muzin Capitol Partners that were not declared in Albania.

Two other members of the Democratic Party, Arben Ristani and Ilir Dervishi, have also been summoned.

Albanian police said on Wednesday they had broken up a criminal gang trafficking Syrian, Turkish and Iraqi migrants to western Europe from Greece and had arrested eight people including the Turkish ringleader.

The process of negotiations for EU accession is "an extraordinary mechanism of transformation" for Albania, the acting Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania, Gent Cakaj, stated on Monday. He spoke about this at a press conference he held in Bucharest alongside his Romanian counterpart, Teodor Melescanu.

The Avdyli brothers shown in an archive photo collage.

The prosecution said it had opened an investigation into a breach of state secrets. The government has not yet commented on the case.

Albanian opposition protesters using firecrackers against police on June 2. Photo: Gjergj Erebara/BIRN

At their seventh large protest, the opposition parties again called for the removal of Prime Minister Edi Rama and his Socialist-led government.