Psikopati edi rama biography

Prime Minister of Albania since

Edi Rama (born Edvin Kristaq Rama on 4 July ) is an Albanian politician and painter who has been serving as the 33rd and incumbent prime minister of Albania since and chairman of the Socialist Party of Albania since He was Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports from to First elected mayor of Tirana in , he was reelected in and

The coalition of centre-left parties led by Rama in the Albanian parliamentary election defeated the incumbent centre-right coalition led by Sali Berisha of the Democratic Party of Albania.

Rama was appointed prime minister for a second term following the Albanian parliamentary election. Rama then won a third term following the Albanian parliamentary election in which he defeated the Democratic Party candidate Lulzim Basha for the second time in a row. He is the only Albanian prime minister in history to have won three terms in a row.

His party has won all six elections since —three parliamentary ones and three local ones. Under his decade of tenure, Albania has seen economic growth but also democratic backsliding, with various sources describing his rule as autocratic. Albania has also continued to suffer from emigration.^[1]

He was one of the initiators of Open Balkan, an economic zone of the Western Balkans countries intended to guarantee the "Four Freedoms".

Early life and career

Edvin Rama was Born on 4 July in Tirana, he is the first of two children of Kristaq and Aneta Rama.

Psikopati edi rama biography Rama is an active painter and has had several personal painting exhibitions. Presidential Medal of Merits. Retrieved 22 December Retrieved 23 November

His father was Kristaq Rama (–), a well-known sculptor born in Durrës who created numerous statues during the communist era in Albania and had close ties to the communist regime. Rama was a signatory to a death sentence of opposition poet Havzi Nela.^[2] His great-grandfather, also named Kristaq Rama, was an intellectual who advocated for Albanian independence and schools, and he originated from Berat before later relocating to Durrës.^[3] Other ancestors from his paternal side come from the southeastern village of Dardhë, near Korçë.^[4] His mother, Aneta Rama (née Koleka) (–), was a graduate of medicine from the southwestern village of Vuno,^[5]Vlorë, and a great-niece of Spiro Koleka, a member of the Politburo during Communist Albania.

Rama states that the Koleka family, going back some centuries, is of northern Mirditor origin, and that the surname was derived from Kol Leka.^[6][3]

Rama started painting early in his childhood. During his teenage years, his talent was noticed by two influential Albanian painters of the time, Edi Hila and Danish Jukniu.^[7] They encouraged Rama to further develop his painting skills in a professional context.^[7] He attended and graduated from the Jordan Misja Artistic Lyceum, an art school in Tirana.^[8] As a teenager, Rama was involved in sports as a professional basketball player for Dinamo Tirana.

He was also part of the Albania national basketball team.^[9][10] In , he enrolled in the Academy of Arts in Tirana. After graduating, Rama started working as an instructor at the Academy of Arts. During this time, he organized several open student meetings, during which the Albanian communist government was publicly criticized.

Essays from those meetings were collected in the book Refleksione, which Rama published together with publicist Ardian Klosi in

Shortly before the fall of communism in Albania, Rama attempted several times to get involved with the incipient fight for democracy. He tried to influence student protests and become part of the newly created Democratic Party of Albania but soon left after a quarrel over ideological matters with Sali Berisha.^[11] In , Rama moved to France, and tried to begin a career as a painter.

He and his former student, Anri Sala, exhibited their works in several art galleries.^{[citation needed]} On 27 November , Rama officially changed his first name to Edi.^[12]

Political career

During one of his trips back to Albania in January , Rama suffered a physical assault.

While perpetrators were never found, there were concerns over the involvement of the State Secret Service given Rama's outspoken criticism towards the Albanian government.^[13]

In , while in Albania for the funeral of his father, Rama was offered a cabinet position by then-Prime Minister of AlbaniaFatos Nano.^[14] Later that year he was appointed Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports.

As a Minister, Rama immediately became known for his extravagance in a variety of ways, including his unique colorful dressing style. His innovative cultural projects, coupled with his unusual clothing and rebellious political style, helped him attract a great level of support.

Edi rama Edi Rama Politician July 4 , After the fall of communism, he actively participated in the first democratic movements in the country. Rama was first elected mayor of Tirana in and was reelected in and Following the party's defeat in the parliamentary elections, he was elected as its leader, replacing Fatos Nano.

Mayor of Tirana (–)

In October , the Socialist Party of Albania-the former Communist Party-endorsed Rama in the election for Mayor of Tirana. The Democratic Party nominee was Besnik Mustafaj, a writer and diplomat. Rama won 57% of the vote, and was sworn in as mayor. After taking office, he undertook a radical campaign of bulldozing hundreds of illegal constructions and restoring many areas near Tirana's center and Lanë River into their initial form.^[15]

Rama earned international recognition by repainting the facades of many soviet-style, demolishing buildings in the city.^[16] The repainting gave the city a unique style, turning it into a tourist attraction.

Rama was awarded the inaugural World Mayor Prize in ^[17] The award committee, explained their decision stating that "Edi Rama is the man who changed a whole city. Now there is a new Tirana, colored, happy, with a new and improved infrastructure and cultural life".^[17]

As mayor he compiled the Tirana City Master Plan^[18] including the Skanderbeg Square project.

He planted thousands of new trees, making Tirana a much more environment-friendly city. Rama also expanded the existing roads and paved new ones, improving mobility. According to a UNDP report^{[19][failed verification]} Rama played a critical role in the modernization of the local government, empowering municipalities and giving them, for the first time real power to impact the life of their communities.

Rama was reelected Mayor of Tirana by defeating Democratic Party candidates Spartak Ngjela, a former attorney, in , and Sokol Olldashi in In , Rama decided to run for a fourth term in office. His opponent, Lulzim Basha was a member of Prime Minister Berisha's cabinet. Rama's reelection bid failed in a hotly contested election, after a court ruling decided hundreds of ballots mistakenly cast in the wrong ballot boxes were valid.

The initial count saw Rama ahead by 10 votes. With all ballots counted Lulzim Basha won the race by 81 votes. Rama appealed the court's decision at the Electoral College and demanded the reinstatement of the initial tally. Rama's appeals were rejected, and Basha was sworn in as the new Mayor of Tirana. Rama and the Socialist Party criticized the judges involved in the court ruling.

Leader of the opposition (–)

Having previously run as an independent in , Rama registered as a Socialist in Later that year he announced a bid for the chairmanship of the Party. He and Rexhep Meidani, former President, ran against the incumbent, Fatos Nano. Rama's bid failed to gain sufficient support from the Assembly delegates.

He received 41 votes, Rexhep Meidani received 61, while Fatos Nano was reelected with votes.^[20]

After the center-left coalition lost in the parliamentary election, Fatos Nano resigned as Chairman of the Socialist Party. In the subsequent election for the chairmanship of the Party, Rama defeated Rexhep Meidani to and became the Chairman of the Socialist Party.^[20] Capitalising on Rama's popularity as a mayor, the Socialist Party of Albania regained some of its appeal.

Rama replaced many of the Party's influential leaders with younger loyalists. In his earlier attempts to regain control in the Parliament, he tried to frame himself as a political outsider.

Matilda makoci edi rama This article needs additional citations for verification. Associated Press. He was named World Mayor in December Edi Rama is an Albanian politician, painter, and the 33rd Prime Minister of Albania, serving since

Inspired by the progressive policies of Tony Blair's "New Labour" and Anthony Giddens "Third Way", his political platform called for a "third direction beyond the traditional right and left".^[21]

As the minority leader, Rama threw his support behind a set of constitutional amendments introduced in the Parliament during the summer of These amendments changed Albania's election law from a majoritarian representation with a proportional adjustment into a party-list proportional representation as well as curtailed Presidential powers.

Despite criticism and protests from President Bamir Topi and MPs from the Socialist Movement for Integration and other smaller political parties, the amendments were passed in the Parliament with a super-majority.

Rama's reelection as mayor in was greatly helped by the Socialist Movement for Integration's endorsement of his candidacy.

Seeing the constitutional amendments voted by Rama's SPA as a serious threat to their existence in Albanian politics, Ilir Meta and the SMI did not join Rama in a pre-electoral coalition for the parliamentary election. The Socialist Party led by Rama were only able to win 66 seats in the Parliament. Incumbent prime minister Berisha's Democratic Party won 70 seats, while the remaining 4 seats went to Ilir Meta's Socialist Movement for Integration.

Demands by Rama and the Socialists for a recount in the district of Fier were rejected by courts amidst criticism about the judges impartiality. Eventually, all four newly elected SMI members of the parliament voted support for Prime Minister Berisha's Democrats.

The elections narrow defeat prompted Rama to continue his mandate as chairman of the Socialist Party.

The Socialist Party opted for a hardcore dispute of the newly elected government by boycotting parliamentary debates for months and staging a hunger strike to prompt for domestic and foreign attention to the situation. The heated political debate surrounding the election has been pointed out as one reason for Albania's failed bid at gaining official candidate status in accession talks with the EU.^[22]

In January , a recorded videotape showed Deputy Prime Minister Ilir Meta negotiating informal pay-to-play fees with Dritan Prifti, Minister for the Economy, Commerce and Energy.

On 21 January , clashes broke out between police and protesters in an anti-government rally in front of the Government building in Tirana. Four people were shot dead by government special forces.^[23] The EU issued a statement to Albanian politicians, warning both sides to refrain from violence.^[24]

Prime Minister of Albania (–present)

In , the Socialist Party of Rama led the coalition of center-left parties (that included his former opponents, the SMI) into a landslide victory in the parliamentary election defeating the center-right coalition led by Prime Minister Sali Berisha.

His platform, nicknamed "Renaissance"^[25] was based on four pillars: European integration, economic revitalisation, restoration of the public order and democratisation of the state institutions. Since September , Rama has been serving as the Prime Minister of Albania.^[26]

Policies as Prime Minister

See also: Prime Minister of Albania, Rama Cabinet I, and Rama Cabinet II

Since 11 September , Rama is serving as the 33rdPrime Minister of Albania.

During the electoral campaign, Rama stated that the return of public order was his number one priority. In , the Albanian Police was able to cover actively only 55% of the territory.^[27] The Government invested heavily in modernizing, training, and improving financial benefits of the police force. The police earned international acclaim when in undertook a highly successful operation on Lazarat, a remote village in the south of the country, known for the production of narcotics.

Rama has been committed to restructure the judicial system in Albania, which was one of the most corrupted and ineffective judicial systems in Europe at that time.^[28] In , the Parliament approved the vetting law.^[29] Based on this law, any judge or prosecutor which cannot explain his source of wealth or former dubious verdicts will be disqualified for life.

In November , the European Union stated that a successful implementation of vetting law remains the sole criterion to fulfill before opening accession talks.^[30]

Other key reform was in the energy sector, left on the brink of bankruptcy from a previous failed privatisation effort. His government successfully enforced the payment of billions of unpaid bills and heavily invested in the modernization of the obsolete power distribution network.^[31] The economic growth, from % in , accelerated to % in and is expected to exceed 4% during Unemployment has been reduced steadily, thanks to , new jobs^[32] created in his first mandate.

Furthermore, with % () Albania has the 5th lowest unemployment rate in the Balkans.

Other important reforms include the administrative reform, the social welfare and pension system reform, and the reform in higher education. Internationally, Rama is pursuing a historical reconciliation policy between Albanians and Serbs and his visit in Belgrade, in was the first visit of an Albanian Prime Minister in Serbia in over 70 years.^[33] In a second visit, during the Economic Forum of Nis, Rama compared the Albanian and Serbian reconciliation process with the historical reconciliation between the French and Germans after the Second World War.^[34] Rama is also a key supporter of the Berlin Process, an intergovernmental platform of cooperation between the European Union and Western Balkans countries.

The Socialist Party led by Rama participated at the parliamentary elections on 25 June One day after, partial results suggested that the Socialist Party had won a majority.^[35] Which so happened.

Rama and Ramush Haradinaj, then Prime Minister of Kosovo, had a clash in late due to different views on the Mini-Schengen initiative.

Rama stated that Haradinaj "lies due to ignorance or on purpose".^[36] In Rama filed a lawsuit for defamation against Haradinaj.^[37][38]

In , Rama announced plans to create a new European microstate called the Sovereign State of the Bektashi Order enclaved within Tirana. The new country is planned to serve as the headquarters of the Bektashi Order, a Sufi Islamic order led by Baba Mondi.^[39]

Domestic policy

Rama has adopted a neo-liberal economic policy.

It reduces public spending and promotes public-private partnerships in most sectors (tourism, higher education, health, public works, culture).^[40] The International Monetary Fund (IMF), traditionally favorable to these policies, however, considered that the Albanian government was proceeding too quickly with privatisation and exposed the country to "significant fiscal risks".^[40]

Economic growth rates approached 4 percent in and , the unemployment rate fell from percent in to percent in ^[40] According to him, the improvement in the economic situation can be explained by the political stability of the country: "We are a country without a Senate, without unions, without a radical left and without comedians who play politics"^[40] Nevertheless, salaries remain low and emigration has accelerated since ^[40]

Drug trafficking has grown considerably, accounting for nearly a third of GDP in ^[40] According to estimates by Italian customs, , cannabis plants were destroyed in , compared to 46, in Such destruction would have affected only 10 percent of the cultivated area.

The Minister of the Interior, Saimir Tahiri (in office from to ), has himself been blamed (and sentenced) for his involvement in this traffic.^[40]

In , Rama adopted a law, welcomed by the European Union, providing for competition between universities and their openness to the market. Increases in tuition fees have caused discontent among students.^[40]

Albanian earthquake

On 26 November , an earthquake struck Albania and parliament granted Rama state of emergency powers to deal with the aftermath.^[41] Rama visited the earthquake epicentre to see the situation and damage,^[42] whereas political rivalries between him, Meta, and Basha were sidelined as they became involved in relief efforts.^[43][44] On 30 November Rama ended the search and rescue operation^[45] and the next day he attended the first funeral for the deceased.^[45][46][47]

Rama reconfigured the state budget for to manage the post-earthquake situation^[44] to provide funds for the construction of homes.^[48] Rama called for additional expert assistance and monetary aid geared toward recovery from the international community stating that Albania lacks the capacity "to do this (reconstruction) alone."^[49][44][50]

In mid-December, Rama was criticised by NGOs, human rights organisations, and parts of the media of misusing the situation to pass controversial legislation after he sought a three-month extension for his state of emergency powers from parliament.^[41] Rama tasked a group of fundraisers to manage the donations from the Albanian diaspora and to provide oversight for their usage.^[48] Rama contacted and held discussions with some influential world leaders and countries asking for assistance and the creation of an international donors conference.^{[51][44][52][53][54][55]} On 8 December, Rama was present at a Turkish donors conference for Albania that was organised and attended by President Erdogan.^[56] In January , Rama publicised preliminary figures on damage caused by the earthquake that totaled more than €1 billion.^[57]

Cabinet

1st Cabinet

Further information: 1st Rama Cabinet

The 1st Cabinet of Rama was sworn in by PresidentBujar Nishani on 11 September , becoming the 8th Cabinet of the Albanian Republic, since the collapse of communism in Albania.

The Cabinet is composed of 21 members, with fifteen coming from the Socialist Party, six from the Socialist Movement for Integration. The Cabinet is also the first in which the number of female ministers is equal to the number of male ministers, excluding the Prime Minister.^[58]

2nd Cabinet

Further information: 2nd Rama Cabinet

The 2nd Cabinet of Rama was sworn in by PresidentIlir Meta in September , becoming the 9th Cabinet of the Albanian Republic, since the collapse of communism in Albania.

The Cabinet is composed of 15 members, coming all from the Socialist Party. The Cabinet is also the second in which the number of female ministers is equal to the number of male ministers, excluding the Prime Minister.

Foreign policy

Further information: List of official trips made by Edi Rama

On several occasions, Rama has stated that the European Union needs to accelerate the integration process of the Western Balkans, considering it the only way to subdue the dangerous fractions in the region, preventing a possible eruption of violence, like the one that hammered the region in the s.^[59] Rama has also denounced the rising Russian influence in the region as destabilising.^[60]

Rama views Turkey as an important strategic partner and since , he has developed a good personal relationship with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.^[61][62] In May , Rama attended the wedding of Erdogan's daughter and Erdogan's presidential inauguration in , whereas Erdogan endorsed him in mid for Albania's parliamentary elections.^[61][62] Rama has strengthened ties with Turkey, namely with the Erdogan government despite possible and growing contradictions with his pro-European enlargement stance.^[62][63] Rama describes Erdoğan as a "friend of Albania and strategic ally".

At his request, he had schools linked to the Gülen movement closed, which he went so far as to describe as a 'terrorist organization'.^[64]

Rama has had a diverse agenda of high-level meetings.

Edi rama lakuriq This article is part of a series about. However Pavol Szalai, the head of the European Union and Balkan Desk, noted that the methodology changed from to and that Albania has fallen partly due to this and partly due to countries such as Serbia and Montenegro rising. Edi Rama has initiated several interventions to reduce the crime rate, modernise the country and invest in the training of the people. In the subsequent election for the chairmanship of the Party, Rama defeated Rexhep Meidani to and became the Chairman of the Socialist Party.

Since , he has frequently met with German ChancellorAngela Merkel, American PresidentBarack Obama, French PresidentFrancois Hollande, British Prime MinisterDavid Cameron, Chinese Prime MinisterLi Keqiang, Austrian Foreign MinisterSebastian Kurz, Pope Francis, and other high-ranking diplomats. Rama, speaking in Israel in , said that Albania was "proud to have been a country where no Jew was released to the Nazis, and where there are incredible stories of Muslim families who protected Jewish families," and he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed a joint declaration of friendship and a medical research cooperation agreement.^[65]

On 10 October , together with Aleksandar Vučić, President of Serbia, and Zoran Zaev, Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Rama signed the so-called Mini Schengen deal on regional economic cooperation, including on the free movement of goods, capital, services, and labour between their three countries, while they await progress on EU enlargement.^[66] A month later, the leaders presented a set of proposals to achieve the "four freedoms" and the first steps towards them, including the possibility to the open border area.^[67] In December, the three leaders also met with Milo Đukanović, President of Montenegro, opening the possibility for the country to join the zone.^[68] In , Rama said that Albania was aiming to join the EU by ^[69]

Artist and writer

Exhibitions

• City Art Gallery, Corfu, Greece ()
• National Art Gallery in Tirana, Albania ()
• Jano Gallery in New York City ()
• Place de Médiathèque in France ()
• Acud in Berlin ()
• São Paulo in Brazil ()
• Israel ()
• Gallery XXI in Albania ()
• Venice Biennial ()
• Marian Goodman Gallery in New York City ()

Rama is an active painter and has had several personal painting exhibitions.^[70]

In and , Rama held an exhibit in the Venice Biennial.

In , a collection of his works were exhibited in the Marian Goodman Gallery in New York City.^[71][72]

Publications

• Rama, Edi; Klosi, Ardian (). Refleksione.
• Rama, Edi (). Etërit, Seksi dhe Krenaria Kombtare.
• Rama, Edi (). Edi Rama. Paintings
• Rama, Edi (). Kurban.

• Edi Rama Biography - Facts, Childhood, Family Life & Achievements
• Edi Rama - Albanian Government Council of Ministers

Tirana: Dudaj.

Rama is also an active writer. In , while a professor at the Academy of Arts of Albania, Rama published a book with various notes together with publicist Ardian Klosi entitled Refleksione(Reflections). In , Rama published a collection of personal notes and paintings in a book entitled Edi Rama.

In November , Rama published a reflection book on his years as mayor of Tirana entitled Kurban.

Personal life

Rama was baptized as Catholic and identifies as Catholic.^[73] Regarding his religious beliefs at present, Rama has declared himself an agnostic stating that "I do not practice any faith other than to the self and other people, but I don't believe that the existence or non-existence of God is a matter that can ever be resolved by mortals."^[74]

Rama married actress Matilda Makoçi.

The couple divorced in Rama has a son from his first marriage, Gregor, who is a cancer survivor.^[75] Rama's daughter-in-law was one of the 51 fatalities in the Albania earthquake.^[76]

Since , Rama has been married to Linda Rama (née Basha), an economist and civil society activist.^[77] Mrs.

Rama is a graduate of the University of Tirana and holds a Master of Arts in Economy and is a Doctor of Sciences in Economy. Until she has worked in high levels of public administration including the Head of the National Privatization Agency. She has a long academic experience as a lecturer in International Finance at the University of Tirana and a lecturer of Public Policies in the European University of Tirana.

She is the author of several scientific researches and publications in her field. Together they have a son, Zaho,^[78] born in

Rama is a supporter of the sports teams FK Partizani and Juventus.^[79] His younger brother, Olsi Rama, is the sporting director of Partizani Tirana.^[80]

Controversies

Involvement in electoral fraud

In a series of 16 audio tapes published online by the German tabloid Bild, Rama and his cabinet members were recorded in conversations with police and members of organized crime ahead of the Parliamentary elections.

In one of the tapes Rama is recorded in a conversation with Arben Keshi, a local police official, asking if "the objective had been met". In another recording, cabinet member Damian Gjiknuri was heard offering Keshi to send "a van of problematic guys" who "should not be too exposed" but may be needed "just in case" for the election.

In other tapes, former Socialist MPs were recorded giving instructions to Keshi and other local officials on bribing constituents with cash and intimidating them with threats.^[81] In other tapes published by Bild, former mayor of Durrës Vangjush Dako, appointed by SP was heard in conversations with members of drug trafficking and organized crime in connection to the elections.^[82]

Controversial media law

In December , the government led by Rama, proposed changes in two laws regarding communications and information services in Albania, with focus on regulating the online media market, forcing them to register and giving authority to institutions controlled by the Parliament to fine online medias and journalists and block their contents.

Edi Rama Biography - Facts, Childhood, Family Life & Achievements: What a fantasy! Critics say this clause aims to decimate the finances of independent news outlets, whose limited funding would be likely to expire long before a court even hears the case. In , Rama returned to Albania from Paris following the tragic loss of his father, the renowned sculptor Kristaq Rama. He graduated from the Jordan Misja Artistic Lyceum and later attended the Academy of Arts in Tirana, where he also worked as an instructor.

Also known as the 'anti-defamation' law, it gives to the authority of Audiovisual Media in Albania (AMA) the competences of fining journalists and they can have their cases heard in court only after paying the AMA-imposed fine. Critics say this clause aims to decimate the finances of independent news outlets, whose limited funding would be likely to expire long before a court even hears the case.^[83]

Media organizations in Albania protested the changes in the law, considering them as censoring free-speech and expressing their concerns, because the drafted law didn't take in consideration several recommendations made by international actors like the EU Commissioner for Human Rights.^[84] The Albanian Ombudsman called the government on not approving the two anti-defamation draft laws, as they do not meet international standards.^[85]

The Venice Commission gave its opinion and to its conclusion the proposed media law has a number of flaws to proposed amendments that needs to be changed, in the report the Venice Commission gave a number of recommendations and stated that "Albanian authorities showed willingness to dialogue and addressed their concerns for the protection of freedom of speech".^[86] Rama on Twitter praised the recommendations and stated “Grateful to the Venice Commission for their opinion on Anti-defamation!

Without losing any further time, we need to address the matter in the Assembly according to the valuable suggestions and guarantee by law everyone’s right to be defended against defamation, and the obligation of every news outlet to be identified as a subject to the law”.^[4]

Reporters Without Borders

After Albania fell to a historic low in the Reporters Without Borders' annual World Press Freedom Index, Rama criticized the organization's notation.

However Pavol Szalai, the head of the European Union and Balkan Desk, noted that the methodology changed from to and that Albania has fallen partly due to this and partly due to countries such as Serbia and Montenegro rising.^{[citation needed]}

Rama took up to Twitter where he accused the organization of making up "lies" and called the accusations "fantasies".

Rama then tweeted: “Journalists victims of police violence in Albania? What a lie! Journalists critical of the government face political attacks? What a fantasy! Ethical self-regulation in the Albanian media? What a mockery! Only the title is missing: We complain about the lack of freedom because we do not know what to do with freedom!” One day after Rama tweeted his denials, RSF reported that he attacked an Albanian reporter who he had previously put on a two-month long embargo.^[87][88]

Charles McGonigal

In January , Rama was implicated in a U.S.

federal indictment concerning former senior FBI official Charles McGonigal. According to the indictment, in September , McGonigal allegedly met with and tried to sway Rama into awarding an oil-drilling license to an Albanian-based company affiliated with McGonigal's business partners. In November , shortly after a meeting with Rama in Albania, McGonigal allegedly informed a United States Department of Justice prosecutor of a potentially new criminal investigation into Nicolas Muzin, a U.S.-based lobbyist who had recently been hired by Rama's political rival, Lulzim Basha.

The following month, McGonigal dined with Rama in Washington, D.C., and up until early , received information about Muzin from the Albanian Prime Minister's office.^[89][90]

Rama has denied any wrongdoing.^[91]

New Sufi Muslim Bektashi microstate proposed

In September , Rama announced plans to create the smallest sovereign state in the world within the capital city of Tirana for an Islamic Community known as Bektashi Order of the Sufi Order.^[92][93]

Other controversies

A photograph of Rama and Barack Obama at a fundraising event in October was shared by Rama on Facebook and Twitter ahead of Albania's Parliamentary Election, to imply a relationship with Obama.^[94] Rama's ticket to the event was purchased for $80, through intermediaries that pled guilty to making foreign contributions in connection with the U.S.

Presidential Election.^[95][96]

At the beginning of December , on board a Lufthansa plane headed to Detroit from Frankfurt, Rama refused to wear a mask as required by the company's COVID-safety guidelines. After Rama vehemently refused, the airplane crew asked the captain to persuade the prime minister to comply with the rules as with all the other passengers.

Edi Rama — Википедија - sr.wikipedia.org

Edi Rama - Wikipedia

Item 1 of 1

Settings

However, Rama refused any proposal and was then escorted off by the federal police.^[97]

Honors

Orders, decorations, and medals

Other

Prime Minister Rama received the CAM Global Leadership Award for his work in fighting antisemitism and other types of religious prejudice.^[]

See also

References