Politician’s Killing Stains Albania’s Turbulent Election Campaign

Police inspect the scene where a politician was murdered and four citizens were injured in Elbasan, Albania, March 21, 2021. Photo: LSA

Xhuvani is a former state official who had campaigned for several parties, including the Socialist Movement for Integration, LSI, and the Justice and Integration and Unity Party, while being a Socialist Party activist currently.

He had previously been sentenced for corruption, for extracting money from the National Health Insurance Fund using fake prescriptions.

Taulant Balla, head of the ruling Socialists' parliamentary group, blamed the opposition centre-right Democratic Party for the fatal clash. He claimed the opposition sent an armed paramilitary group to the town.

Gazment Bardhi, Secretary General of the Democrats, said the clash occurred after a team from his party came across a group of people "distributing cash and collecting ID Cards".

According to Bardhi, they first notified the police who blocked several suspected cars, but after more Socialist activists arrived on the scene, an armed clash followed.

Bardhi said two of his supporters, part of a structure that he described as a "vote protection group made up of honest former police officers", were injured in the clash.

Police said Arbër Papleka, a former member of Albania's elite police force, RENEA, was arrested as the suspect who shot Xhuvani.

Another injured person, apparently a Socialist Party supporter, is on the run. Police have been slow in providing more information about the event. Local media reported that officers from Elbasan police were present at the scene before the shootout started but apparently were unable to stop it.

Elbasan is notorious for the presence of several organised crime groups and...