Following the demolition by the National Territorial Inspection Agency of a five-story building constructed without a permit in Himarë, and the on-site arrest of its owner by the State Police, the Police Oversight Agency has launched an investigation into the responsibilities of police officers connected to the case.

The investigation so far has brought to light the involvement of the chain of command within the police structures of the Himarë Police Station. Four State Police officers have been prosecuted for the criminal offense of “Abuse of office,” as provided for by Article 248 of the Criminal Code.

Among them are Emiljano Prenga, currently Chief of Volume Crimes at the Divjakë Police Station, who previously held the same position at the Himarë Police Station, and Klodian Petani, a Crime Investigation Specialist at the Vlorë Police Station, who previously held this function in Himarë. Both have been detained.

The criminal proceedings also include Ferit Merkaj, Head of the Traffic Section at the Vlorë Local Police Directorate and former Chief of the Himarë Police Station, as well as Redin Çaushaj, serving as SPZ at the Himarë Police Station. Both were declared wanted.

As procedural actions continued, two of the officers declared wanted surrendered and were detained on their own initiative. At the same time, the other two were not found at their residences and, although notified, did not present themselves to the relevant structures.

Procedures for declaring these latter individuals wanted have been completed.

The Police Oversight Agency announces that investigations continue with the aim of fully clarifying the circumstances of the event and determining the legal responsibilities of the persons involved.

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Efforts to extinguish the fire in the Zidoll area and the Bojë neighborhood of Kruja have continued throughout the night, with firefighters and army forces working from the ground to isolate the hot spots.

With the arrival of daylight, aerial intervention has been added to the operation. Two army helicopters have been dropping water over the affected areas, where the fire remains active.

The situation is improving and the flames are being extinguished. So far, there are no reports of damage to homes or injured persons.

Meanwhile, the consequences for the ecosystem are severe. The fire has burned areas rich in flora and fauna, and the recovery of nature in these zones could take decades.

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Shots were fired last evening from a yacht sailing in Palasë, where four persons on board were detained after about a 2-hour operation.

It is learned that among those detained are Astrit Gjonpalaj, a former police officer and owner of the company “Globus Travel”, and Astrit Meta, an Albanian-American citizen.

The latter are suspected to have been on the yacht at the moment the shots were heard.

During the pursuit, two of the people on board the yacht attempted to approach the shore by dinghy to flee the police, but after seeing the presence of officers on land, they returned to the yacht.

Meanwhile, one of the other individuals jumped into the sea but was later caught by the Border Police.

The yacht initially headed for Greece, but later changed course. In an attempt to evade authorities, the yacht turned off its lights and continued moving at sea, but after two hours of pursuit, the vessel was stopped and taken to Portopalermo for a detailed search.

The incident occurred around 9:00 PM, when vacationers in the area notified police that shots had been heard from a yacht.

Immediately after receiving the alert, Border Police and the Maritime Police Unit were urgently deployed and began pursuing the watercraft in the maritime area.

The watercraft underwent a detailed search by numerous police forces, but it has not yet been disclosed what was found on board.

However, the motives for the shooting and who fired the weapon are still unknown, while investigations continue to document the full circumstances of the incident.

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French authorities have detained businessman Ermal Beqiraj, who had been declared internationally wanted by the Special Prosecutor’s Office against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK). Procedures for his extradition to Albania are now expected to begin.

The Special First Instance Court for Corruption and Organized Crime (GJKKO) had earlier imposed the security measure of prison arrest for Beqiraj, in the context of investigations into the case of the National Agency for Information Society (AKSHI).

News in update…

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During a recent television interview, crime reporter Ervin Leka has shared additional information about the serious crime in Vidhisht, Roskovec, where the couple Kosta and Belere Plaku lost their lives at the hands of their former son‑in‑law.

According to him, investigators are probing the theory that the episode erupted after a phone call from 35‑year‑old Refit Buzi. The journalist added that the couple’s daughter was present at the moment her parents were shot dead and was immediately seized by her ex‑partner.

“The young woman saw with her own eyes how her two parents were killed by the man she was engaged to,” the journalist stated.

Referring to conversations with Fier police forces and the RENEA negotiating team, Leka said the girl went through traumatic moments. It is suspected that she suffered violence both inside her parents’ home and on the way to the mountainous area, where she was held captive for nearly seven hours.

“She had injuries on her face and legs, but is expected to undergo further medical checks. During transport, she displayed extremely violent and aggressive behavior, although he kept insisting on taking her back,” Ervin Leka said.

Continuing his testimony, the journalist clarified that the suspected perpetrator, during negotiations with RENEA, also raised claims about a monetary debt, stating that he had sent money to the girl’s family when he worked in England.

“The money story remains merely a pretext and in no way justifies the stalking, the violence, the kidnapping, and even worse, the murder of the parents. At the heart of the problem was the father’s objection from the very beginning of the relationship, due to the signs of aggression that Buzi had shown. The clashes with the family continued because they were categorically against this relationship,” he added.

Leka also underlined that Refit Buzi appears to be an individual reported for violent behavior and there had been previous complaints against him at the police station. The investigative structure is carefully examining his background, especially the years he spent in the United Kingdom, where it is suspected he may have been involved in illegal activities.

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This Saturday, Kosta and Belere Plaku were laid to eternal rest, a day after the severe tragedy in Vidhisht, Roskovec. They were shot dead by Refit Buzi, the former husband of their niece.

In an interview for the Review show on Euronews Albania, Kosta’s brother recounted the first moments of the crime and blamed the authorities, stressing that alarm signals had long been raised about the perpetrator’s threats.

He recalled waking up to the gunshots: “I was sleeping. Around 05:20-05:30 I heard the shots. I immediately got up, felt something terrible had happened. I alerted the Police and drove there. When I arrived, he had already shot, kidnapped the niece, and fled. Then the ambulance and law enforcement came.”

According to him, the clash had been going on for more than a year, and family members had filed complaints against the aggressor several times.

“The story is long, at least over a year. The niece had reported him in Tirana, as he was waiting for her on her way. She obtained a protection order, valid until December. We tried to settle things peacefully, hoping things would calm down. But, as soon as he got out, for about 40 days he sent threatening messages daily in various ways,” he recounted.

He added that despite the complaints, the perpetrator remained free by the judicial system.

“The niece and my brother filed a report. The Police detained him, the Prosecution requested arrest, but the Court sent him to house arrest. That very day he got out, within a few hours, the threats resumed. I told the inspector he was moving around freely. He replied: ‘Record the threats and take a photo.’ I told him I’m not a photojournalist, but come because I’ll catch him and you can take him. He said he wasn’t allowed,” the interviewee recounted.

Regarding Rozalida’s condition, he acknowledged he had not yet spoken to her. “I haven’t talked to Rozalida yet. I will sit and listen to her, but she is deeply shocked.”

In the end, the deceased’s brother expressed his indignation toward the institutions, underlining that the fatal event could have been avoided.

“What I want cannot be brought back, but the state organs are soft, just a facade. For more than 40 days there were threats and again they let him go free. When someone is a repeat offender, measures must be toughened, not to let him go. This catastrophe came not only from one man, but also from the inability to enforce the law. If citizens remain silent and rules are not applied, such tragedies will happen again,” he stated.

He also criticized some online media for their handling of the case. “I am dissatisfied with some portals. I haven’t read them myself, but relatives have informed me. They are writing fabrications that did not happen. News must be carefully checked before publication.”

Kosta Plaku died immediately at the scene, while his wife, Belere Plaku, passed away in hospital due to injuries. After the criminal act, the perpetrator took his ex-wife hostage, whom he released after negotiations with the Police, and finally committed suicide.

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At first, the “Dëshmorët e Kombit” Boulevard filled with hundreds of citizens, civil society activists and representatives who had come especially from the diaspora, delivering strong speeches from the podium. Once the main messages were delivered, the protest continued through the streets of Tirana.

The crowd moved through several of the capital’s most important streets and intersections, completely blocking traffic. Throughout the march, chants against the majority and the institutions did not stop for a single moment.

At the end of the route, the citizens returned once again to the point where it all began, in front of the Prime Minister’s Office building. With hundreds of voices united in chorus, they repeated the symbolic slogan that has accompanied this month of resistance: “Rama, resign!”

The organizers and participants declared today’s gathering concluded, but at the same time issued a firm warning to the government. They stressed that there would be no stepping back and that the marches would continue in the coming days, without any retreat, until their political and social demand is met.

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He revealed that all the lawyers in the courtroom unanimously agreed that the arrests were unlawful, and for that reason they requested that they be declared as such.

On the other hand, he said that the prosecution requested that two protesters be kept in pretrial detention, while for the others it requested the security measure of mandatory appearance.

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