Crisis Chronology

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ALBANIA

10/14/2024

First group of immigrants to Italy are moved to Albania under a controversial agreement between the two countries. They are described as “deemed safe.”

09/07/2022

Albania suspends diplomatic relations with Iran after a major cyberattack.

06/28/2022

Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia frustrated at EU failure to allow them to proceed with their applications after many years of waiting.

11/09/2020

Albania initiates new stay-at-home order to combat spread of COVID-19.

04/18/2020

Government reopens some businesses across the economy. Albania has relatively few cases, 548, and 26 deaths.

03/24/2020

Albania is given authorization to begin talks about joining the EU.

03/17/2020

Government institutes thirty-day stay-at-home order due to COVID-19 pandemic.

10/18/2019

Albania passed over for admittance to EU. France and Netherlands and Denmark say that the accession process must be reformed before any new members are admitted.

10/11/2019

Council of Europe questions whether impeachment proceedings against Rama are justified.

07/08/2019

Continued protests calling for Rama to resign. The Democratic Party sees the government as corrupt and an obstacle to admittance to the EU.

06/30/2019

Local elections are peaceful. Opposition boycotts the voting and turnout is very low. EU election commission condemns the election as not responsive to the citizenry.

06/16/2019

Socialist Party contests Meta’s constitutional right to cancel elections. However, there is no constitutional court because the justices’ finances are being investigated and they are suspended.

06/13/2019

Parliament censures Pres Meta for cancelling elections.

06/11/2019

Presidential impeachment proceedings begin

Socialist Party begins impeachment proceedings against Pres Ilir Mehta for cancelling elections scheduled for 6/30.

06/08/2019

Meta cancels nationwide local elections scheduled for 6/30, citing political tensions in the country. Protests calling for the resignation of PM Rama continue.

06/02/2019

Protests continue demanding new elections and accusing Rama and the Socialist Party of corruption.

06/01/2019

Kosovo Pres Thaci calls for unification of Albania and Kosovo.

04/14/2019

Protests calling for Edi Rama to resign.

01/14/2019

Rama declares himself acting foreign minister.

01/10/2019

PM Edi Rama condemns Pres Ilir Meta’s refusal to confirm nominee for foreign minister. The nominee Gent Cakaj, 28, has dual citizenship in Albania and Kosovo. Meta objected the Cakaj does not have enough experience. Meta has approved the other cabinet ministers.

12/18/2018

PM Rama replaces seven of fourteen ministers after a year of protests and scandals.

12/11/2018

Students protest tuition increases. 12/8 is the anniversary of the 1990 protests that toppled the Communist government.

12/07/2018

Prosecutors to investigate large contracts awarded by the government to a ghost company.

10/27/2018

Interior minister quits. His brother was convicted of drug trafficking by an Italian court in 5/18. The opposition Democratic Party, led by Lulzim Basha, is demanding an investigation.

09/13/2018

Opposition parties, including the Democratic Party and the Socialist Movement for Integration, unofficially boycotting parliament and protesting the widespread criminality in Albania, both in and out of government. The parliament was to take up reforms required by the EU for admittance, some of which require agreement across parties.

06/26/2018

EU agrees to start membership talks with Albania, pending progress toward reforms.

06/21/2018

Albania said to offer to build relocation camps for migrants seeking asylum in EU, which could meet Seehofer’s requirements. However, spokesman for PM Edi Rama denies that such talks are being held.

04/03/2018

Violent protests over the imposition of a toll on a major road to Kosovo. Protestors call for resignation of Rama, who is at first adamant but later offers concessions. There is increasing dissatisfaction with the government.

01/19/2018

Ruling Socialist Party of Albania attempts to restrict arrest warrants for members of parliament.

10/27/2017

Oil workers strike over unpaid wages.

10/01/2017

Interior minister accused of drug trafficking.

08/14/2017

Serbian Deputy Premier Aleksander Ivica Dacic, echoing Pres Aleksander Vucic, calls for Serbia to renounce its claim to all of Kosovo and establish Serbian communities. Serbia fears that Kosovo will become increasingly Islamic and unite with Albania.

08/14/2017

Albanian PM Edi Rama praises Serbian Pres Vucic’s call for compromise on Kosovo.

08/09/2017

Serbian Pres Aleksander Vucic calls for a compromise and negotiation on Kosovo to solve regional problems and allow cooperation with Albania. There is an implicit suggestion that Kosovo could become an independent state, something that most Serbs reject.

06/25/2017

Socialists, led by PM Edi Rama, gain nine seats, to 74 of 140. Democratic Party wins 43.

05/17/2017

Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama and opposition Democratic Party leader Lulzim Basha agree on composition of election commission, allowing for parliamentary elections to proceed, delayed until 6/18.

04/27/2017

Ilir Meta of the Socialist Party is elected the new President of Albania.

04/23/2017

Democratic Party organizes road blocks in protest, demanding a caretaker government until 6/18 election.

04/20/2017

Parliament again fails to nominate a candidate for president.

02/23/2017

Albanian opposition Democratic Party boycotts parliament demanding caretaker government to run 6/18 parliamentary elections.

06/23/2013

Coalition of Socialist Party (66 seats) and a number of other parties in a coalition named the Alliance for a European Albania, wins a majority in the 140-seat parliament. Socialist Party leader Edi Rama becomes prime minister. The Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI), which had been part of the governing coalition, won 16 seats. Sali Berisha’s Democratic Party (50 seats) and its coalition, the Alliance for Employment, Prosperity, and Integration, wins 57 seats.

01/21/2011

Substantial antigovernment protests after a deputy prime minister resigns in a corruption scandal.

09/11/2005

Sali Berisha of the Democratic Party of Albania is elected prime minister.

06/23/2002

Parliament approves Alfred Moisiu as president, agreed to in a compromise between Socialists and Democrats, after western pressure -- EU refused to continue talks on association until conflict between the two parties ended.

02/06/2002

Socialist Party names Pandeli Majko prime minister.

01/29/2002

Prime Minister Ilir Meta submits resignation to President Meidani after feud with Nano, whose open criticism of the government has split the Socialist Party. Berisha's party announces that it is returning to government after a six-month boycott.

06/22/2001

Violence in voting. Meidani is being challenged by center-right coalition led by Sali Berisha. Procedural disputes keep some polls closed, necessitating delayed voting there, possibly by 7/1.

10/26/1999

President Meidani appoints Ilir Meta prime minister at the behest of Nano, new chairman of the Socialist party.

01/01/1998

1998. Fatos Nano forced to resign as prime minister after accusations that caused the murder of aide to Berisha. Pandeli Majko is named new prime minister.

07/24/1997

Head of Socialists, former Communist Rexhep Meidani is elected president. Berisha’s party boycotts vote.

07/23/1997

Berisha quits.

06/30/1997

Berisha concedes elections, but does not give up his position. Socialist party, led by Fatos Nano, a Marxist-trained economist, is the victor.

05/14/1997

Berisha calls for elections and then retracts the call, after opposition parties say they would boycott them.

05/02/1997

Albania remains calm as Berisha refuses to recognize authority of interim government.

03/21/1997

By manipulating chaos, Berisha maintains control. Largely ignoring new interim government headed by Prime Minister Bashkim Fino of the Socialist Party.

03/14/1997

Albania crumbles into anarchy, shooting in the capital.

03/12/1997

Increasing unrest and some shooting, with signs of a showdown between government and dissenters. Berisha rejects calls to resign.

03/09/1997

Berisha agrees to form transitional government and hold new elections, but it may be too late to stop revolutionaries in the south, who are well armed and feeling confident.

03/02/1997

State of emergency imposed as protests continue. Berisha warns of strong force, but neither the police nor the army support the government very strongly.

03/01/1997

After months of protests from citizens who were defrauded by pyramid schemes that the government failed to regulate, President Berisha dismisses Meksi’s government. However, since Meksi’s party is by far the largest in parliament, it is designated to form the new government.

05/27/1996

During parliamentary elections, opposition leaders are beaten and taken to police cells. Deputy leader of opposition Socialists Party, Servet Pellumbi, and General Secretary of the Democratic Alliance Party, Arben Imami, reported to be in serious condition. Berisha claims victory for his party in elections.

08/02/1993

Albania Classes as Least Developed by UN

Albania classed as a least developed nation by UN, the only one ever in Europe.

04/04/1992

Democratic Party names Sali Berisha to become first non-Communist president and Alexander Meksi Prime Minister.

03/22/1992

Democratic Party wins 65 to 70% of vote. Socialist Party, formerly the Communist Party, loses badly.

03/16/1992

Dr. Sali Berisha, cardiologist and head of Democratic Party, seems to be in the lead for next week's voting.

12/01/1991

12/91. Caretaker non-party cabinet formed by Prime Minister Vilson Ahmeti, a former Socialist minister.

05/04/1991

Communists win through control of peasantry. Southern Albania dominated by Tosks. Northern Albania by the Ghegs. Alia was one. The man who defeated him, Xhelil Gjoni, is a hard-line Communist.

05/02/1991

Results of elections 4/31 give Communists victory. However, Ramiz Alia is defeated in his home district. Newly formed Democratic Party wins 72 seats, CP about 160.

03/21/1991

US and Albania to restore full diplomatic ties.

03/01/1991

Increasing movement toward democratic government.

12/12/1990

A new Democratic Party is founded.

12/11/1990

Communist Party backs creation of independent parties.

12/10/1990

Ramiz Alia agrees to meet with protesting students.

10/25/1990

Writer Ismail Kadare has been given asylum in France.

05/13/1990

Alia says government will be democratized but will remain socialist.

05/09/1990

President Ramiz Alia relaxes rules on religion and travel.