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Albania’s Interior Minister Quits, PM Names New Nominee

October 27, 201811:46
Albania's Minister of Interior Fatmir Xhafaj resigned from the post on Saturday morning, with Prime Minister Edi Rama announcing shortly after that he had nominated his security advisor for the position.
 
Fatmir Xhafaj (left) and Edi Rama during a conference in Tirana on 5 July 2018. Photo: LSA  

Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama confirmed the resignation of Albanian Interior Minister Fatmir Xhafaj on Saturday, naming his security advisor Aleksander Lleshi, a former General in the Albanian Army, as the new nominee for the post.

The opposition has hailed Xhafaj’s resignation as a success, having led a long campaign against him after his brother was convicted of drug trafficking in Italy.

No explanation has been given for Xhafaj’s sudden departure.

His sudden resignation comes after a major police operation last week when four interlinked groups suspected of drug trafficking were dismantled. However, leaks from the police filed into the investigation revealed two alleged cases of suspected criminals involved in vote-buying practices for the Socialist Party, for which the opposition is demanding a probe.

During his time as interior minister, he was known for his efforts to tackle corruption within the police force and an action plan against organised crime, called “The Force of Law”.

However, Xhafaj has long been a controversial figure in Albanian politics, repeatedly being accused by the opposition of violating human rights in early 1980s when he was working as an interrogator under the country’s Communist regime, as well as for his alleged links to  organised crime through his brother Agron Xhafaj, who is currently serving jail time in Italy for drug trafficking.

Xhafaj has long denied all of the allegations against him.

Before taking over the position of Minister of Interiors in March 2017, Xhafaj held the position of Minister of Justice during the Socialist’s 2003-2005 rule, and has been a Socialist Party MP since 2005.   

The nominated replacement, Lleshi, will need to be approved by the president and parliament.

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