Politics of Albania

Albania's defense ministry said on Saturday that Defence Minister Nikos Dendias declined an invitation to the opening of a refurbished NATO air base in Kucova earlier in March, rejecting a press report that the Greek official had been snubbed.

Bulgaria's commitment to Albania's EU aspirations and bilateral cooperation took center stage during a meeting between Rosen Zhelyazkov, Speaker of the National Assembly of Bulgaria, and Lindita Nikolla, Speaker of the National Assembly of Albania, in Tirana.

Bulgaria has received assurances from Albania regarding the protection of the rights of the Bulgarian minority within its borders, alongside a commitment to ensure transparency in the upcoming census.

Albanian mayoral candidate Gjergj Goro, who assumed office amid the incarceration of opponent Fredi Beleri in the Albanian region of Himare, reportedly resigned on Saturday. 

Beleri, an ethnic Greek, has been incarcerated pending trial since May on vote-buying charges after his arrest on the eve of municipal elections which he won against Socialist candidate Jorgo Goro.

The case of Fredi Beleri, the ethnic Greek elected mayor of Himare, in southern Albania, who is being tried by a special court on charges of corruption, is stoking tensions on the domestic political scene. 

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis raised the issue of the release of the ethnic Greek mayor of Himare, Fredi Beleri, during a meeting with his Albanian counterpart Edi Rama on Tuesday on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Vilnius.

The swearing-in ceremony for the elected mayor of Himare in Albania, Fredi Beleri, is scheduled for Tuesday but cannot take place while he still remains in custody.

According to Albanian legislation a deputy mayor, appointed by a council of ministers controlled by the ruling Socialist Party, will have to take office.

Fatbardh Kadilli, from the Democratic Party, which won only seven municipalities in the May 14 Local elections, tells BIRN that both leaders of the divided party should quit and the party be completely reformed.

Albanians will vote in local elections on Sunday, May 14. Given the fragmentation of the main opposition Democratic Party, Prime Minister Edi Rama of the left-wing Socialist Party is practically unchallenged.

The temporary resignation of the former leader of the opposition Democratic Party Lulzim Basha in March last year has prevented the party from registering for the May local elections.

This is because some key documents submitted to the Central Elections Commission, CEC, should have had his signature.