Albania’s Ruling Party Honors a Convicted Official: A Dangerous Signal from Rama’s Government

 For years, Albania’s Socialist Party tried to deny accusations of ties to organized crime. Now, it is no longer even trying to hide them. Instead, it is openly rewarding them.

 Blendi Klosi decorates Jurgys Çyrbja

During the Socialist Party’s 35th anniversary celebrations, a senior PS official in Durrës publicly handed a certificate of appreciation to former MP Jurgis Çyrbja. The problem is simple: Çyrbja is not just a former politician. He is a convicted figure investigated by Albania’s Special Anti-Corruption Court for alleged links to the notorious Shijak criminal group.

According to SPAK investigations, Çyrbja leaked police operations, accessed confidential TIMS border system data, and helped wanted individuals avoid arrest. Yet instead of distancing itself from him, the Socialist Party chose to publicly honor him.

This is no longer just a political scandal. It is a message.

A message that in Edi Rama’s Albania, even if you end up in the hands of justice, serving the interests of power is enough to earn political respect and public rehabilitation.

Rama has repeatedly claimed that “justice should do its job.” But honoring Çyrbja destroys every attempt to appear distant from criminal influence. You cannot speak about justice while politically celebrating figures who have become symbols of the connection between politics and organized crime.

The decoration of Jurgis Çyrbja is not about respecting a former MP. It is a signal to every other loyal operative: do whatever it takes for power — and power will never forget you.