Lulzim Basha

Lulzim Basha

Mayor of Tirana
Incumbent
Assumed office 25 July 2011
Preceded by	Edi Rama
Minister of the Interior
In office 2009–2011
Prime Minister	Sali Berisha
Preceded by	Bujar Nishani
Succeeded by	Bujar Nishani
Foreign Minister of Albania
In office 2007–2009
Prime Minister	Sali Berisha
Preceded by	Besnik Mustafaj
Succeeded by	Ilir Meta
Minister of Public Works, Transport and Telecommunications
In office 2005–2007
Prime Minister	Sali Berisha
Preceded by	Spartak Poci
Succeeded by	Sokol Olldashi
Personal details
Born	12 June 1974 (1974-06-12) (age 37) Tirana, Albania
Political party	Democratic Party of Albania
Residence	Tirana
Alma mater	Utrecht University
Signature

Lulzim Xhelal Basha (; born Tirana, 12 June 1974) is an Albanian politician.

In 2005, Basha was appointed Minister of Public Works, Transport and Telecommunications in the government of Sali Berisha where he served for two years. Then, during the period 2007-2009, Basha served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and later in the period 2009-2011 Basha served as Minister of Interior.

1 Early career
2 Political career
3 References
4 External links

Early career

Lulzim Basha was born in Tirana on June 12, 1974. After attending the Sami Frashëri High School, he studied law at Utrecht University in the Netherlands and worked for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (1998–1999). While working there, he contributed to the file against former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic. He later worked for the Department of Justice of the UN administration of Kosovo, UNMIK (2000–2005), before entering politics in Albania.^[1] Lulzim Basha is married to Aurela Basha (née Isufi), a Dutch citizen with Albanian origin.

Political career

Minister of Public Works, Transport and Telecommunications (2005–2007)

Basha joined the Democratic Party of Albania in January 2005 and became a member of the party's Presidency in May of that year. He served as party's Spokeman during the 2005 parliamentary elections at which he was elected to the Albanian Parliament as the MP of Constituency no. 33 in Tirana.

After the 2005 parliamentary elections, Lulzim Basha became Minister of Public Works, Transport and Telecommunications where he served for a period of two years, until he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2007.^[2] As Minister of Public Works, Transport and Telecommunications Basha initiated the major infrastructural work, Durrës-Kukes Highway, in the Albanian history, involving the construction of 5.6 km tunnel. In 2007 the Chief Prosecutor of Albania Theodhori Sollaku asked the parliament to lift Basha's immunity from prosecution so he could begin an investigation into possible corruption and abuse of power charges. This was in regard to the awarding of Durrës-Kukes highway construction contract to a U.S.-Turkish joint venture.^[3] Basha said that the charges were politically motivated, although he asked the Parliament to lift his immunity and consequently the Supreme Court of Albania relieved him of all the charges.

Foreign Minister (Minister i Jashtem) (2007–2009)

Basha served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from May 2007 until his appointment as Minister of Interior in September 2009. During his term, Albania was admitted to NATO, applied for EU membership and started the dialogue to secure visa free travel for its citizens to the Schengen countries.

Interior Minister (Minister i Brendshem) (2009-2011)

After the 2009 election Basha was nominated as Minister of Interior in the new Berisha government. As Minister of Interior, he implemented all the required criteria for visa free travel to the Schengen countries, including the modernisation of the Albanian border and immigration police system, the issuing of high security biometric passports and a tougher fight against criminal activity and criminal assets. These steps won international praise notably by EUROPOL and other law enforcement bodies and led to the decision of the EU on November 8, 2010 to lift all travel visa requirements for Albanian citizens effective Decemeber 15, 2010. Later, the opposition criticised him for the behaviour of the police during the clashes with protesters in an anti-government rally in front of the Government building in Tirana on 21 January 2011; though video evidence did show that the police acted appropriately. The U.S. Embassy, the OSCE presence and the EU delegation in Albania issued a joint statement considering the opposition's anti-government rally as not peaceful.

Mayor of Tirana (2011 - in office)

In 2011, Basha ran for the post of mayor of Tirana for the Democratic Party and the Coalition of the Citizen, challenging Edi Rama, incumbent mayor and leader of the Socialist Party of Albania. After a long process of votes counting, Basha was elected the new mayor of Tirana and his election was certified by the CEC. He is the new mayor of the largest and capital city of Albania.^[4]

References

^ "Albania pins its hopes on youthful government". Kosovareport. Reuters. 8 September 2005. http://kosovareport.blogspot.com/2005/09/albania-pins-its-hopes-on-youthful.html. Retrieved 24 December 2007.
^ "Albanian premier replaces foreign minister". International Herald Tribune. 25 April 2007. http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/04/25/europe/EU-GEN-Albania-Government-Reshuffle.php. Retrieved 24 December 2007.
^ "Albania's foreign minister could face prosecution; parliament asked to lift immunity". International Herald Tribune. 15 October 2007. http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/10/15/europe/EU-GEN-Albania-Ministers-Immunity.php. Retrieved 24 December 2007.
^ yyyy=2011&mm=08&dd=18&nav_category=123&nav_id=43858 "Edi Rama still mayor of Tirana". 18 October 2011. http://www.shekulli.al yyyy=2011&mm=08&dd=18&nav_category=123&nav_id=43858. Retrieved 18 October 2011.

Political offices
Preceded by Spartak Poci	Minister of Public Works, Transport and Telecommunications of Albania 2005-2007	Succeeded by Sokol Olldashi
Preceded by Besnik Mustafaj	Foreign Minister of Albania 2007-2009	Succeeded by Ilir Meta
Preceded by Bujar Nishani	Minister of Interior of Albania 2009-2011	Succeeded by Bujar Nishani
Preceded by Edi Rama	Mayor of Tirana 2011-Present	Succeeded by Incumbent

Mayors of Tirana

Pre-WWII: Zyber Hallulli (1913–1914) • Servet Libohova (1915–1916) • Ismail Ndroqi (1917–1922) • Ali Begeja (1922–1923) • Ali Derhemi (1923–1924) • Xhemal Kondi (1924–1925) • Fuat Toptani (1925–1927) • Izet Dibra (1927–1928) • Rasim Kalakula (1928–1930) • Rexhep Jella (1930–1933) • Abedin Nepravishta (1933–1935) • Qemal Butka (1936–1937) • Abedin Nepravishta (1937–1939) • Qazim Mulleti (1939–1940) • Omer Fortuzi (1940–1943) • Halil Meniku (1943–1944) • Llazar Treska (1944–1945)

Socialist People's Republic of Albania: Ibrahim Sina (1947–1949) • Isuf Keçi (1950–1951) • Sabri Pilkati (1951–1951) • Peço Kagjini (1951–1952) • Sami Gjebero (1953–1954) • Ibrahim Sina (1954–1955) • Sami Gjebero (1956–1957) • Irfan Ceklkupa (1957–1958) • Rifat Dedja (1958–1961) • Sabri Pilkati (1961–1962) • Rifat Dedja (1962–1964) • Sabri Pilkati (1965–1966) • Myqerem Fuga (1970–1973) • Ndue Marashi (1974–1975) • Nesip Ibrahimi (1976–1983) • Jashar Mezenxhiu (1984–1985) • Llambi Gegprifti (1986–1987) • Leandro Zoto (1987–1988) • Llambi Gegprifti (1989–1990) • Tomor Malasi (1991–1992)

Republic of Albania: Sali Kelmendi (1992–1996) • Albert Brojka (1996–2000) • Edi Rama (2000–2011) • Lulzim Basha (2011–)

Persondata
Name	Basha, Lulzim
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	12 June 1974
Place of birth	Tirana, Albania
Date of death
Place of death