Tony Blair Winds up Operations in Albania

Tony Blair Associates, which is closing down, has also announced that it has completed and finished its tasks with the Albanian government, ending a period of collaboration that started in 2013.

"Tony Blair Associates has completed its project with Albania and were very pleased to have assisted the Prime Minister [Edi Rama] and his government in their efforts to deliver greater prosperity for the people of Albania," Benedict Macon-Cooney, a Blair media adviser, wrote to BIRN in an email.

"As you will know, Mr Blair has often said how much the country and its people mean to him," he continued.

On Tuesday in a public announcement, the former Prime Minister and UK Labour leader Blair said he was close down his hugely criticised lobbying and consultancy operations in order to focus on non-profit and charity work.

Tony Blair Associates, founded in 2007  and at one time employing around 200 people, worked in more than 20 different countries around the world.

Blair's work in Albania has always remained a mystery and never was truly revealed. The collaboration started in September 2013, the same month that Rama took over as Albanian Prime Minister.

After meeting Blair in New York and London, Rama co-directed a meeting with Blair in October 2013, when he explained that the former UK Prime Minister would help the new centre-left government in Tirana to prioritize its reforms, and make them have a real impact on people's lives.

In an interview with Top Channel TV, Blair emphasized that he was keen to help governments that wanted to make real changes while focusing on his special bond with Albanians as a result of the war in Kosovo.

"If you are not careful, politics remain on the level of just words and vision. So is important...