Edi Rama is an Albanian politician, artist, writer and former basketball player, who has been the 42nd Prime Minister of Albania and the Minister of Foreign Affairs since 2013 and January 2019, respectively. Rama has also been Chairman of the Socialist Party of Albania since 2005. Before his election as Prime Minister, Rama held a number of other positions. He was appointed Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports in 1998, a position that he held until 2000. He was first elected Mayor of Tirana in 2000, and was reelected in 2003 and 2007. In 2013, the coalition of center-left parties led by Edi Rama won the 2013 parliamentary election, defeating the center-right coalition of Democratic Party of Albania's incumbent Prime Minister, Sali Berisha. He was confirmed as prime minister for a second term on 2017 election.
Azem Shpend Hajdari was the leader of the student movement in 1990–1991 that led to the fall of communism in Albania. He then became a politician of the Democratic Party of Albania (DP). He symbolizes the start of the democratic era in Albania. He was a member of the Albanian parliament and the Chairman of the Defence Parliamentary Commission. He was assassinated in Tirana on September 12, 1998.
Bashkim Fino is an Albanian socialist politician who served as the 35th Prime Minister of Albania.
Tepelenë is a town and a municipality in Gjirokastër County, in the south of Albania. The town is located on the left bank of the Vjosa River, about three kilometres downstream from its union with the Drino.
The fall of Communism in Albania, the last such event in Europe outside the USSR, started in earnest on December 1990 with student demonstrations in the capital, Tirana, although protests had begun earlier that year in other cities. The Central Committee of the communist Party of Labour of Albania allowed political pluralism on 11 December and the largest opposition party, the Democratic Party, was founded the next day. March 1991 elections left the Party of Labour in power, but a general strike and urban opposition led to the formation of a "stability government" that included non-communists. Albania's former communists were routed in elections in March 1992 amid economic collapse and social unrest, with the Democratic Party winning most seats and its party head, Sali Berisha, becoming president.
In 1991, the Socialist Party of Albania, with specific social democratic ideology took control of the country through democratic elections. One year later the Democratic Party of Albania won the new elections. After 1990, Albania has been seeking a closer relationship with the West. What followed were deliberate programs of economic and democratic reform, but Albanian inexperience with capitalism led to the proliferation of pyramid schemes – which were not banned due to the corruption of the government. Chaos in late 1996 to early 1997, as a result of the collapse of these pyramid schemes, alarmed the world and prompted the influx of international peacekeeping forces. In 1995, Albania was accepted into the Council of Europe and requested membership in NATO and is a potential candidate country for accession to the European Union. The workforce of Albania has continued to emigrate to Western countries, especially Greece and Italy.
Gjirokastër Castle is a fortress in Gjirokastër, Albania. Gjirokastër Castle is situated at a height of 336 metres (1,102 ft).
The Albanian revolts of 1833–1839 took place in Albania as a reaction against the new centralizing policy of Ottoman administration.
The 2011 Albanian opposition demonstrations were series of anti-government protests in cities around Albania following 18 months of political conflict over alleged electoral fraud by the opposition. A video surfaced which portrayed the vice-prime minister arranging a corrupt deal with the minister of economy. The public outcry over the video resulted in the resignation of the deputy prime minister. A demonstration was called by parliamentary opposition parties, which include the Socialist Party and the Unity for Human Rights Party. These were called on 21 January in order to protest the alleged corruption of the Albanian government as well as widespread unemployment and poverty in the country.
Mehmet Gega was a teacher and an Albanian rights activist.
The following lists events from the year 2011 in Albania.
Pyramid schemes in Albania were Ponzi schemes that precipitated the 1997 unrest in Albania. They started operations in 1991 with the first being formed by Hajdin Sejdia,. After starting works for the construction of an alleged hotel in central Tirana, he escaped to Switzerland with several million dollars. The area became known as Hajdin Sejdia's Hole. Later it was filled by crews to create a local park, but it was taken over by the local prostitution scene. Following these events, some creditors were liquidated while others were not. It is alleged that most of the sums are still held in foreign banks.
The Massacre of Ura Vajgurore occurred on 17 June 1997 in the town of Ura Vajgurore, Albania. Five people were killed and six wounded, all police officers.
The Government of National Reconciliation was the government that presided over Albania from 9 March 1997 to 29 June 1997, during the Albanian Civil War. It was created as a result of the social, economic, and political turmoil of early 1997, spurred by the collapse of pyramid schemes and the subsequent loss of many Albanians' life savings. This government was formed in the week following the resignation of the government of Aleksandër Meksi on 2 March 1997 by the major political parties of the country with international support. The new government was voted on 11 March 1997 by Parliament and promulgated by the President Sali Berisha on 12 March. The following politicians were appointed to the Council of Ministers and other governmental positions:
Gang of Çole was an Albanian criminal group that operated in the city of Vlora during 1997–1999. The peak of their criminal activity was during March–June 1997, when anarchy reigned in the South. Gang members were charged with the creation of the criminal group, possession of military vehicles, homicides, kidnappings, giving penitence, destruction of state institutions, drug trafficking and even the burning of their rivals.
Gang of Pusi i Mezinit was a criminal group with activities throughout southern Albania. Origin of the members of this band was from across the south of the country. Most of them had been imprisoned during the communist regime for crimes. Called by his nickname "The strongest of the South", this band had as main rival Coles gang led by Zani Çaushi. Banda was the well to Brother ardent supporter of the Democratic Party, and apparently this caused even their elimination.
The Qafa e Vishës bus accident occurred on 21 May 2012, at Qafa e Vishës near Himarë, Albania, when a bus plunged 80 metres (260 ft) off a cliff. Most of the victims were students of Aleksandër Xhuvani University of Elbasan. The driver is also believed to have been killed. The students were travelling from Elbasan to Saranda.
The Orthodox Congress was a meeting held on September 13, 1922, in Berat, Albania among Albanian Orthodox people, which decided the Autocephaly of the Church of Albania. According to the decisions of the Congress, mass could be said exclusively in the Albanian language
Ylli Asllani is adviser to President Ilir Meta for Local Government issue and provides expertise in the field of local government, decentralization and regional development. He has held this position also in the staff of President Bujar Nishani from September 2013 to July 2017.
