Why is this important: January 21 is one of the most tragic and shocking crimes in Albania’s post-communist transition. It is also one of the best documented. The killing of at least one of the protestors who was not engaged in any action at the time he was shot but was simply standing with his hands in his pockets, was filmed and transmitted to all television screens shocking Albanians. Just as public were Berisha’s frantic attempts first to shift blame to the opposition for having shot its own people, and later, following the transmission of the videos, to prevent a proper investigation by obstructing the prosecution and threatening both the Attorney General and the then opposition. And yet investigations into these events have not progressed even though investigations were reopened by SPAK in July 2022 following a High Court directive. They were first stalled by the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office and now by SPAK. The lack of resolution in this case has raised questions about the effectiveness of Albania’s justice reforms and the ability to hold those in power accountable.

Why is this important: Providing an accurate address is crucial for delivering voting envelopes to registered diaspora voters. Without a document verifying residency, the application is automatically invalidated, and the Central Election Commission’s electronic system disqualifies the applicant. Applicants are notified of the error via SMS or email and have the right to reapply with corrected information.

Why is this important: The events of January 21 remain one of Albania’s darkest chapters, with justice still unfulfilled for the deaths of four innocent protestors shot by the Guard of the Republic. While the Guard commander and one guardsman were convicted for their roles, no political figures have been held accountable for ordering the violence. SPAK has repeatedly come under criticism for seemingly dragging its feet on this case and on the Gërdec explosion case where Berisha and his son are alleged to be implicated in the killing of 26 people working in an informal ammunition dismantling factory established with their alleged support.

Why is this important: Berisha’s repeated reliance on unverified accusations and sources he claims originate from social media “digital informants” has eroded his credibility as a politician. With SPAK’s official rebuttal of his claims, the leader of Albania’s largest opposition party—who aspires to become Prime Minister in the May 11 elections—has further tarnished his reputation and labeled himself as a source of disinformation.

Why is this important: Dumani’s rebuke comes in the aftermath of similar claims by Berisha and criticism of SPAK’s silence on the issue. The public disclosure of such sensitive information from ongoing investigations has become a source of concern in Albania, with politicians and journalists frequently leaking details from confidential case files. While Dumani’s statement today was interpreted as a veiled threat to Berisha calls have grown for internal investigations within SPAK to identify the sources of these leaks among its officers and prosecutors.