Fatmir Xhindi, the Albanian Socialist politician, was murdered this weekend as the elections approach in 2 months time.
Xhindi was shot by men armed with AK47s near his family home in Roskovec. Xhindi was deputy leader in one of Albania’s socialist parties. Xhindi was hit with six bullets and died on his way to hospital [Reuters].
Albania has been overrun with illegal weapons since the government collapsed and lost control of state owned weaponry in 1997.
This election is seen to be important regarding Albanian progress towards EU membership, the state must prove it is able to hold clean and fair elections if it is to win EU acceptance- Albania filed for EU candicdacy only last week.
The Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha said: “This ugly criminal act has not only shocked the family of the deputy, his hometown and colleagues but all Albania and Albanians,”
Xhindi’s murder has alarmed EU ministers.
“I appeal to the Albanian authorities to carry out an investigation as soon as possible”, said Joseph Daul, the french MEP.
Oli Rehn, the EU Enlargement Comissioner, said in an official statement:
“I strongly condemn the murder and extend sincere condolences to Xhindi’s family and friends”, and called for a thorough and succesful police investigation.
Another issue Albania must address prior to the election is the requirement to show ID cards when voting, whilst nearly one million citizens had not been issued with the cards, as of late April.
Albanian politics is still affected by serious corruption, a recent USAID poll concluded corruption has increased in the last 12 months and is most prevailent amongst politicians and lawmakers.
Blood feuds still occur in modernAlbania, raising the issue of politically motivated violent retaliation, though this would surely lead to disaster ahead of the election. Even without retaliation the murder has cast a shadow on the election.
Albania has still not recovered from the eccentric policies of the communist dictator Enver Hoxha, who died in 1985. As well as making Albania the world’s first legally Atheistic state, Hoxha fell out with his communist peers one by one, until Albania became totally isolated. Hoxha ran the country on a Stalinist model, complete with purges and personality cult, and through the use of paranoia of a fear of invasion.
For this reason 700,000 concrete bunkers were built to ward off potential invaders. That is one bunker for about every 4 citizens.
Some of his other policies included making private ownership of cars illegal and the banning of maps.Needless to say such policies excluded the higher echelons of party membership.
To this day there are no definitive maps of Albania and any foreigner who has tried asking a local person in Tirana for directions using a map will find Albanians do not use or comprehend them.
The Elections are scheduled for June the 28th.
