In legislation that is more progressive than many developed countries, Albania looks to protect LGBT community from prejudice violence.
TIRANA, May 6 – The Albanian Parliament on Monday passed a gay-inclusive hate crimes law which for the first time codifies a commitment to specifically tracking and preventing bias motivated crimes and distributing over the Internet of anti-LGBT materials that advocate violence or overt prejudice.
The law amends the Criminal Code to enumerate sexual orientation and gender identity. This change has been labeled an important one because it distinguishes such crimes as designed not just to attack an individual but to quell the voice and visibility of a particular group of people based on a defining characteristic, in this case their sexual orientation or gender identity, these alongside long-established classes such as race and disability. Prosecutors can now pursue extra penalties to specifically balance such crimes.
Another change amends an article to create a list of offenses.
Igli Totozani, Albania’s Ombudsman, said, “The approval of amendments to the Criminal Code against homophobia represents a revolution in the Albanian legislation against homophobia.”
“Albania is on the way to a more fair, equal and European society,” he said. “[The law is a] valuable contribution to a greater protection of human dignity and a more open and European Albania.”
Albania decriminalized homosexuality in 1998. Gay and lesbian people are allowed to join the military as of 2008, while in 2010 the Parliament passed comprehensive anti-discrimination measures that included sexual orientation and gender identity.
However, some analysts point out that Albania’s secular, but conservative, society still harbors some of the highest homophobic sentiments in the region, which makes the new law’s implementation hard, and is yet another example of Albania having perfect laws on the books, which are never properly implemented.
Albania climbs to best FIFA ranking in history
Fresh from victories in group, national side now stands 43 in the world, outranking regional powerhouses such as Turkey and Bulgaria.
TIRANA, May 8 – Albania’s national football team has climbed to the highest position ever in its history in the official FIFA rankings, becoming 43rd best team globally.
Fresh from some good performances in qualifying and friendly games, the Albanian national soccer side now outranks regional powerhouses such as Turkey and Bulgaria.
Albania’s national soccer team recently scored two wins in a row, creating a lot of buzz about the new selection of players led by Italian coach Gianni de Biazi.
The first win came against Norway for the World Cup qualifier in Group E. Hamdi Salihi found the net from the edge of the box to bring the visitors in a surprisingly victory in the Oslo.
Albania moved to within a point of FIFA World Cup Group E leaders Switzerland, as a neat Hamdi Salihi strike earned them a 1-0 win on a bitterly cold evening in Oslo.
Albania produced another excellent victory, this time in its home pitch, Qemal Stafa stadium, against Lithuania in a friendly just days after victory in Oslo. The match, held under a heavy rain and a muddy pitch, ended 4-1 for Albania. Albania’s Italian coach, de Biazi, is preparing a good team with many new players. The latest successes have increased hope of a dreamed qualification for the World Cup finals, which Albania has never been able to achieve.
Police officer killed at checkpoint
TIRANA, May 6 – Police officer Selman Lena is the latest casualty of Albania’s war on crime, as he was killed by a driver who refused to stop at a police checkpoint. Another policeman was also injured in the incident occurring in Tirana suburbs last weekend.
Lena’s body was buried at the presence of all the friends and partners and also the senior officials who took part and paid homage to the dead. Lena, 42, was part of a police group making routine checks for wanted people and drunk drivers in the Kamza suburb of Tirana. When they wanted to stop a BMW, the driver hit them and sped away. The driver was arrested some hours later after he had abandoned the car.
The driver had criminal precedents and might have been drinking and driving at the time, police said.
Lena is the latest policeman killed on the line of duty. Election periods in Albania are seen by criminals as a prime time to break the laws, analysts, and there seems to be an increase in crimes in the last few months.
Following Lena’s death, media also reported that a businessman was gunned down Sunday. In another case, two members of the same family, uncle and nephew, were killed in northern Albania due to a property conflict.
