Clash between BKH agents and DP supporters marks most serious incident of the electoral campaign so far

A confrontation between agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (BKH) and supporters of the Democratic Party (DP) in Fier District has become the most serious incident in an otherwise peaceful election campaign. The clash occurred near the offices of former Mallakastër mayor Agron Kapllanaj – a key DP organizer for the Fier District. It comes just days after the arrest of a DP supporter in Lushnjë, again in Fier District, on charges of vote buying. The incident escalated into physical confrontation, prompting police intervention and arrests.

Why is this important: This is the first direct confrontation involving SPAK-linked institutions during the campaign and raises concerns over political tension and obstruction of anti-corruption operations. It follows the arrest of a 38-year-old in Lushnjë, in the same district, accused of offering money for votes in favor of the DP—an investigation now transferred to SPAK.

Context: Kapllanaj confirmed the incident during a phone interview with A2 CNN. He stated that an unmarked vehicle arrived around 6 PM in the parking lot of his party’s offices and launched a drone. According to Kapllanaj, the drone operation which occurred for a second time and raised suspicions among staff inside the building.

“When the building guard approached to ask why they were flying a drone from our property, one of the agents told him they were ‘looking to buy a property,’ then insulted him,” Kapllanaj claimed.

He said that after a verbal exchange, the agents left the premises in their vehicle but were followed by several officials from the political entity and two of Kapllanaj’s relatives. Minutes later, a second confrontation occurred after they managed to stop the agents.

Kapllanaj said that at no point were they informed the individuals were BKH agents. “A firearm was shown as a threat, and only then did they reveal they were from BKH,” he stated.

Police arrived shortly afterward, calmed the situation, and detained three individuals: Ledjan Kapllanaj, Klaudjo Kapllanaj, and Gerald Kollçaku. Investigations are ongoing regarding others involved in the confrontation.

What else: The incident has raised broader concerns about the Democratic Party’s posture toward institutional authority and the rule of law. It remains unclear how a political party aiming to govern can justify actions that involve its officials and relatives pursuing vehicles, confronting individuals, and taking enforcement into their own hands. This is not without precedent. During the 2021 parliamentary elections in Elbasan, a Democratic Party operative fatally shot a Socialist Party activist in an incident linked to unofficial election monitoring efforts. At the time, the DP’s political coordinator for Elbasan was Gazment Bardhi — who now holds the same role in Fier, where the current incident took place. Fier is Albania’s second-largest electoral district after Tirana, and a long-standing Socialist stronghold, making the political sensitivity of such actions even more significant.

This latest episode comes just days after Marin Leka, a DP supporter, was arrested in Lushnjë, again in Fier District, for offering €500 in exchange for votes. Police also found the ID card of the citizen he tried to bribe in his possession. He is now under investigation for active electoral corruption and illegal possession of identification documents.

DP reaction: DP’s Fier branch has denied any connection to the vote-buying case and accused police of manufacturing the incident under political orders.

“We call on SPAK to investigate the real crimes—those committed by Socialist officials forcing public employees to attend PS rallies,” the statement read.