A 3.1-magnitude earthquake was recorded this morning in southeastern Albania. According to published data, the tremors were recorded at 09:36, with the epicenter around 7 kilometers south-southeast of Korçë.

The earthquake occurred at a depth of around 5 kilometers.

The tremors were recorded on August 17, 2026, and so far there have been no reports of property damage or injuries.

The post Earthquake Strikes Albania: Epicenter and Magnitude Revealed appeared first on Albeu.com.

The mother of 20-year-old Joan Zuko, Ornela Zuko, has announced the date and time of the final farewell ceremony for her son, who was killed in Korçë on the afternoon of August 8 by his friend, Kristjan Sterjo.

In a moving message, she said the family had decided that the final farewell for Joan would be held on August 11 at 12:00.

The 20-year-old’s mother also dedicated several heartfelt words to her son, describing him as her greatest love and the most precious part of her heart.

“With a shattered heart and the greatest pain a mother’s soul can bear, and unable to respond to all of you, we announce that on August 11 at 12:00, we will bid a final farewell to my little boy, the light of his mother’s eyes.

My son, you will forever remain my breath, my greatest love and the most precious part of my heart. Mommy will never forget you and will carry you in her soul until her final breath. Rest in peace, Mommy’s angel,” Ornela Zuko wrote.

HOW THE EVENTS UNFOLDED

Joan Zuko, 20, was shot dead in Korçë following a dispute with Kristjan Sterjo, who was arrested after several hours of searches by police and RENEA forces.

Following his arrest, Kristjan Sterjo gave his testimony to the investigative team regarding the motive behind the serious incident. The young man revealed that the dispute between them was linked to several previous episodes, while one of the factors suspected of having led to the escalation was the harassment of the alleged perpetrator’s girlfriend.

In addition to this dispute, however, investigators are also considering previous clashes between the two young men, who are suspected of having argued over claims about who was the “toughest” in the neighborhood.

According to information from the investigation so far, the alleged perpetrator and the victim had a verbal altercation several days before the incident. Both sides are suspected of having clashed and harassed one another, causing tensions between them to escalate.

THE PLACE WHERE THE 20-YEAR-OLD WAS KILLED

The situation then took another turn. According to the perpetrator’s testimony, on the day of the incident he took the gun and went after the 20-year-old, shooting him once in the back, a wound that proved fatal for Joan Zuko.

The dispute, which is suspected of having begun over trivial motives, starting with claims over who was considered the neighborhood’s “tough guy,” was later accompanied by harassment, insults and repeated clashes between the two young men.

The confrontation ended tragically with the killing of 20-year-old Joan Zuko, while Kristjan Sterjo fled the scene and was arrested by police forces near his home about six hours later.

Sterjo had been hiding in an area near the city cemetery but left to head toward his home. It was at that moment that police spotted him and immediately moved in to arrest him.

The investigative team is continuing its work to fully establish how the incident unfolded, while the alleged perpetrator’s testimony and the evidence collected are expected to help determine the circumstances and the precise motive that led to the serious crime.

The post Killing of 20-Year-Old in Korçë/Joan Zuko’s Mother Announces Farewell Ceremony and Pens Heartfelt Tribute to Her Son appeared first on Albeu.com.

Democratic Party MP Klevis Balliu has reacted sharply to the serious criminal incidents recorded across the country on Saturday, holding the government responsible for failing to guarantee public safety.

In his response, Balliu mentions the killing of a 20-year-old in the city of Korçë, the altercation that left people injured at Fier Prison, and the explosive blast in Durrës.

According to him, these three incidents, which occurred on the same day, demonstrate the severe deterioration of public order.

The Democratic MP says that citizens no longer feel protected either in public spaces or in security institutions, while crime, according to him, is neither being prevented nor tackled by the state.

Balliu places the political responsibility on Prime Minister Edi Rama, who, he says, after 13 years in power, has failed to fulfill the primary duty of every government: protecting citizens and ensuring their safety.

He once again draws attention to the Democratic Party’s repeated allegations about links between those in power and the criminal world, presenting the latest incidents as consequences of the weakening of the state.

Balliu also disputes the government’s narrative of Albania as a tourist destination, arguing that its propaganda and claimed successes do not match the reality Albanians face every day.

He also links the public-order situation to the protests that have continued for 70 days, saying that thousands of citizens have risen in protest, among other reasons, because of the lack of order and security.

According to Balliu, following Saturday’s crime reports, the call “Rama, resign!” sounds even more significant.

Full statement:

Yesterday, Albania once again began and ended the day under the weight of a series of crime reports.

On the same day, a 20-year-old was killed in the middle of the city of Korçë, an altercation left people injured at Fier Prison, and an explosive blast occurred in Durrës. These three serious incidents highlight an alarming reality: public safety in Albania has been surrendered and has turned into chronic insecurity.

Today, citizens do not feel protected on the streets, in cities, or even behind bars, inside high-security institutions. Meanwhile, crime is displaying a boldness it would not have if the state were truly functioning.

This is no longer about figures and statistics, but about the lives of Albanians.

After 13 years in government, Edi Rama has failed in a government’s most fundamental responsibility: guaranteeing the safety of its citizens.

The Democratic Party has repeatedly denounced the capture of the state by crime, as well as the serious links between those in power and the criminal world. The consequences of this situation are now visible every day on Albania’s streets.

When killings take place in city centers, violence penetrates even prisons, and explosives detonate in our cities, responsibility is not limited solely to the perpetrator of the crime. The problem also lies with a state that is unable to prevent, tackle, and punish crime.

Edi Rama may continue to promote Albania as a tourist destination and talk about propaganda and imaginary successes. However, Albanians know the truth: the country lacks neither cameras nor propaganda; it lacks the state.

Public order must not be held hostage by political interests or links to crime.

The country needs a state that confronts crime, not a government that coexists with it.

The political responsibility for this situation is clear: Edi Rama and his government have failed to guarantee the safety of Albanians.

The thousands of citizens who have been protesting for 70 days have taken to the streets, among other reasons, because of the lack of order and security. After Saturday’s bloody crime reports, their main call, “Rama, resign,” rings even truer.

The post Killing of 20-Year-Old in Korçë/Balliu: Edi Rama Has Failed, Public Safety Has Turned into Chronic Insecurity and the Call to “Resign” Carries New Weight appeared first on Albeu.com.

New details have emerged from the investigation into the killing of 20-year-old Johan Zuko in Korçë. The suspect, Kristjan Sterjo, who was caught after spending around six hours on the run, has testified before the investigative team about the motive behind the serious incident.

According to his testimony, the conflict between the two young men was linked to several previous incidents, while one of the reasons suspected of escalating the situation was the victim’s harassment of the alleged perpetrator’s girlfriend.

In addition to this conflict, however, investigators are also considering previous clashes between the two young men, who are suspected of having argued over claims about who was the “toughest” in the neighborhood.

According to information from the investigation so far, the suspect and the victim had a verbal altercation several days before the incident. Both are suspected of having clashed with and harassed each other, causing tensions between them to escalate.

The situation then took another turn. According to the suspect’s testimony, on the day of the incident he took the gun and pursued the 20-year-old, shooting him once in the back. The wound proved fatal for Johan Zuko.

The conflict, which is suspected to have begun over trivial motives, starting with claims about who was considered the neighborhood’s “tough guy,” was subsequently accompanied by harassment, insults and ongoing clashes between the two young men.

The confrontation ended tragically with the killing of 20-year-old Johan Zuko, while Kristjan Sterjo fled the scene and was arrested by police near his home around six hours later.

Sterjo had been hiding in an area near the city cemetery but left the location and headed toward his home. Police spotted him at that moment and immediately moved in to apprehend him.

The investigative team is continuing its work to fully establish the sequence of events, while the suspect’s testimony and the evidence collected are expected to help determine the circumstances and precise motive that led to the serious crime.

The post 20-Year-Old Killed in Korçë: Suspect’s Testimony Revealed, Says Victim Harassed His Girlfriend appeared first on Albeu.com.

Following the murder of 20-year-old Johan Zuko, residents of Neighborhood No. 14 in Korçë have described what they heard and saw in the immediate aftermath of the incident. They said they knew neither the victim nor the suspected perpetrator, as neither of them lived in the area.

Residents said they initially heard a loud noise but did not understand what it was. Only after going outside did they learn that a murder had taken place. They described the neighborhood as quiet and said nothing like this had ever happened there before.

“We don’t know them; they are not residents of this neighborhood. We heard a loud noise and went outside, and then we realized what had happened,” they said, adding that they now feel afraid.

Police are continuing their operation to arrest the suspected perpetrator, who was identified after the crime. Meanwhile, checkpoints have been set up in various areas, while the investigative team is obtaining and analyzing security camera footage to establish the movements of the victim and the perpetrator before the murder.

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Investigations into the murder of 20-year-old Johan Zuko, who was killed this afternoon in Korçë’s No. 14 neighborhood, have brought new details to light. According to sources at the scene, the young man is suspected of having been involved in a confrontation with the perpetrator shortly before the crime occurred.

Another element being examined by the investigative team concerns a knife, which is suspected to have been in the victim’s possession and was found in his hand after the incident.

Experts are verifying whether the knife was used during the conflict, as they attempt to reconstruct the entire course of the confrontation between the two young men. According to earlier information, the victim and the suspected perpetrator were friends and grew up together. The latter is suspected of having a criminal record for illegal possession of weapons and assault.

Police have identified the suspected perpetrator and are continuing the operation to arrest him. Roadblocks have been set up in various areas, while checks are being carried out on the roads and in the surrounding territory. As part of the investigation, the investigative team is also collecting security-camera footage to document the movements of the two individuals and clarify the circumstances of the conflict that ended in murder.

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More details have emerged about the murder of 20-year-old Johan Zuko, which took place this afternoon in Korçë’s No. 14 neighborhood. According to BalkanWeb reporter Lorena Kodra, the victim and the suspected perpetrator had been friends and had grown up together. The person suspected of the crime has a criminal record and had previously been involved in incidents related to illegal possession of weapons and wounding.

The fact that the two young men had known each other for years further complicates the case, while it remains unclear what triggered the conflict between them.

Police have identified the suspected perpetrator and are continuing the operation to apprehend him. Roadblocks have been set up in several areas, while checks have been intensified on the main roads and in the surrounding area.

As part of the investigation, security camera footage from near the scene of the incident is also being seized. The recordings are expected to help reconstruct the movements of the two young men and fully document the crime. Investigative work is continuing to clarify the motive and the full circumstances of the murder.

The post Korçë murder/ 20-year-old chased with a Kalashnikov and executed in an apartment building; suspected perpetrator and victim grew up together appeared first on Albeu.com.

New details have emerged about the tragic incident in which a 66-year-old man was found dead inside his vehicle after allegedly setting himself on fire on Monday morning in Korçë’s Neighborhood No. 10.

Speaking off camera, a relative of the victim said his main concern had been problems with legalizing his home.

According to the relative, the 66-year-old had the documents for the house, but was unable to secure legalization because of one window, an issue that had troubled him for some time.

“The only problem he had was that his home was not being legalized. He had all the documents, but they would not legalize it because of one window. He previously lived as an emigrant in Greece. He was an upright and quiet person, not aggressive at all,” the victim’s relative said off camera.

The post 66-Year-Old’s Self-Immolation in Korçë, Relative Speaks: His Only Concern Was Legalizing His Home appeared first on Albeu.com.

A 66-year-old man in Korçë, identified as Irakli Çinoku, was found dead inside a vehicle that had caught fire. The incident reportedly occurred at around 08:40 on Tuesday in the city’s Neighborhood No. 10.

According to police, it is suspected that the man may have set himself on fire inside the vehicle. Police said he was found in the front passenger seat.

The investigative team, under the direction of the Prosecutor’s Office, is at the scene and is continuing its work to fully establish the circumstances and cause of the incident.

Police statement:

At around 08:40, in Neighborhood No. 10, Korçë, a Mercedes-Benz vehicle caught fire.

Police and fire crews immediately went to the scene, where they found Irakli Çinoku, around 66 years old, with no signs of life inside the vehicle, in the front passenger seat.

Based on preliminary actions and information, it is suspected that the man may have set himself on fire inside the vehicle.

The investigative team, under the direction of the Prosecutor’s Office, is at the scene and is continuing its work to fully establish the circumstances and cause of the incident.

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According to preliminary information, the 62-year-old is suspected to have accidentally slipped in the bathroom of the house, suffering serious head injuries. His sister immediately called an ambulance, which arrived at the scene and rushed him to hospital.

Although he received medical assistance and was transported quickly, he was unable to survive the severe injuries caused by the fall and died.

Police officers went to the home after receiving the report and are carrying out the necessary procedures to fully clarify the circumstances of the fatal accident. The victim’s body will undergo a forensic examination, which will officially determine the cause of death.

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