Lulzim Basha

The General Prosecutor's Office in Tirana told BIRN on Friday it would probe allegations that a company had used false documents to win an 18-million-euro public works tender in Albania.

 The Albanian-registered company allegedly pretended to be a branch of a major US-based contractor to get the contract.

Albania's opposition leader Lulzim Basha said on Friday that he wants an in-depth investigation into alleged vote-buying by the ruling Socialists, claiming that the party secured its comfortable victory in the 2017 elections through collaboration with criminals.

It was expected to be an eventful political season when Albania's parliament reopened earlier this month, with an agenda of reforms needed to open the way for the start of EU membership negotiations next June.

After the Council of Europe postponed a decision on this issue last June, reforms that need cross-party agreement, such as electoral reform, have become a matter of urgency.

News 24 TV channel announced that unidentified persons had sprayed bullets against the home of the father of Albania crime reporter Klodiana Lala in the early hours of Thursday.

Police confirmed the event, saying they were working to identify the attackers. There were no causalities.

In a response to a query from BIRN, it answered: "No. The regions are not yet identified as we are only talking about possibly exploring this concept," asked whether plans exist to create the so-called "Regional Disembarkation Platforms" in Albania.

Albania's opposition Democratic Party and the Socialist Movement for Integration, LSI, have finalised their preparations for a major protest on Saturday in Tirana, demanding the resignation of the Interior Minister Fatmir Xhafaj, who they accuse of engaging in drug smuggling.

Albanian opposition parties have rallied supporters to block traffic on roads across the country, riding on popular anger over a controversial private toll on the highway linking Albania to Kosovo.

Hundreds of opposition supporters created road blocks on the highway linking the north and northeast near Milot, 50km north of Tirana, where some clashed with local police.

Two former directors of the Albanian Road Authority are among 11 people arrested by an Elbasan court order over the procurement of a road that was never properly built.

Dashamir Xhika, former director of the Authority between 2013 and 2017, was arrested and accused of abuse of office.

Albania's ruling Socialist Party has been criticised over a proposal that would oblige the prosecution to submit incriminating evidence to parliament before an MP can be stripped of immunity and arrested.

Critics say the change would undermine the rule of law and endow parliament with powers that should rest with only with the courts.

The Albanian opposition will organize a mass protest against poverty, the economic crisis and problems in the judiciary on January 27th.

Leader of the opposition Democratic Party Ljuszim Basha urged all Albanians to join the protest. According to him, "Albania currently acts as a drug nation".