Albania Opposition Demands Resignation of Interior Minister After Exposing Alleged Criminal Links to his Brother

Tirana, Albania, May 15 (Tirana Echo) – Albania’s opposition Democratic Party has demanded the resignation of the country’s current Interior Minister Fatmir Xhafaj after exposing an audio-recording allegedly proving that his brother continues to command cannabis trafficking in the country.

After publishing an anonymous audio-recording made under unknown circumstances, the DP said that Agron Xhafaj, brother of current interior minister Fatmir Xhafaj, organizes drug trafficking in the southern city of Vlora.

Allegations follow earlier exposures that the minister’s brother had already been sentenced to 7 years in prison by an Italian court for earlier involvement in criminal activity in the neighboring country.

DP chairman Lulzim basha said that the audio-recording proves that the brother of the interior minister is in Albania, and that he has escaped any form of punishment by hiding in the country under another name, while accusing interior minister Fatmir Xhafaj of protecting his brother.

“Fatmir Xhafaj, Interior Minister, has hampered the implementation of the Anti-Mafia law against his brother and against himself. Fatmir Xhafaj must be subject to investigations over his wealth and as a relative of a person known for his mafioso activity. This is why Xhafaj must resign from his position as Interior Minister” – said Basha during a press conference.

Special court police have seized the recorded materials which the opposition claims to be authentic and prosecutors are currently investigating its authenticity. Specialized foreign agencies may be brought in to help with the investigation.

So far, interior minister Xhafaj has not spoken put publicly while the opposition hopes to make him the second socialist interior minister to leave the position.