Anxhela Shurdha returns to Albania after leaving for Greece, describes abuse she says she suffered during her marriage

Anxhela Shurdha has returned to Albania after several days during which her family did not know where she was. She is now with her daughter and family. In an exclusive phone interview with “Me Zemër të Hapur,” hosted by its creator Evis Ahmeti, the young woman explained why she left for Greece and spoke about a marriage she describes as difficult.

Anxhela disputes claims that she abandoned her daughter. She says she left of her own accord after placing the child in her parents’ care, hoping to find work and provide better living conditions.

According to her account, on the day she was reported missing, she was working at a venue in Fier where a birthday party was being held. The work continued until around 1 or 2 a.m., and she stayed longer at the owner’s request. Anxhela says the owner called her parents to tell them she would be working late and would then sleep at a friend’s home. After the party ended, she went to her friend’s home.

She describes her friend as a divorced woman from a good family whom she trusted. That same night, Anxhela says, the two decided to go to Greece to seek better economic opportunities. She insists there had been no conflict or problem that prompted them to leave and that they had done nothing wrong. The journey to Greece took about six hours, she says. Her friend’s employer, who had spoken to her by phone, met them there by car.

Anxhela says they spent one night at the home of the person who met them and that he then found work for both of them. Her friend began working for two families, while Anxhela worked for two others, cooking and cleaning. She says they gave the money they earned during their days of work to their family. She describes seeing her daughter and relatives after her return as deeply emotional: she says her daughter and mother were well, while her father was at work.

In the interview, Anxhela also made allegations of abuse during her marriage. She accuses her ex-husband and former mother-in-law of tying her up with a rope in a forest while her young daughter breastfed. She says they later locked her in a room.

She says she loved her husband and asked him to end his involvement with another woman, whom she believed was pursuing him for her own benefit. When her father went to Greece for her daughter’s birthday, Anxhela says she told him about the mistreatment and her husband’s relationship with that woman. Her father spoke with her ex-husband. The next day, according to Anxhela, her ex-husband and former father-in-law confronted her at home, asking why she had complained to her father and told him about the other woman.

Anxhela alleges that her former mother-in-law also beat her, although she had done nothing wrong and carried out the housework. She says they kept her tied up in the forest for two days and then locked her in a room. Afterward, she contacted her brother, who came from Kosovo with a friend.