Albania

Ervin Ceca (born 14 November 1981, in Berat) is an Albanian politician of the Socialist Party of Albania serving as Mayor of Berat. A graduate in International Economics from the University of Padua in Italy, he spent nearly two decades in banking, including as Director of the Berat branch of First Investment Bank Albania, before entering local politics. He served as a member and twice-reelected chairman of the Berat Municipal Council before becoming deputy mayor. After Mayor Ervin Demo resigned to become Minister of State for Local Government, Ceca served as acting mayor of Berat Municipality for about seven months. He then won the November 9, 2025 partial municipal election in his own right with more than 83 percent of the vote against independent candidate Pavlo Shkarpa, and was sworn in as mayor on December 8, 2025.

Blendi Klosi is an Albanian politician and a long-serving member of the Parliament of Albania. Born in Tirana in 1971, he holds a degree in Electronic Engineering from the University of Tirana. Klosi began his political career in 2000 and has held several high-level government positions, including Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Minister of Social Welfare and Youth, and Minister of Tourism and Environment. Throughout his career, he has represented various constituencies, including Fier, Durrës, and Berat, as a member of the Socialist Party.

Fadil Nasufi is an Albanian politician currently serving as a member of the Parliament of Albania. He was elected to the legislature following the general elections held on June 25, 2017. Prior to his parliamentary service, he held the position of Mayor of Berat, a role he assumed in 2003. As a representative of the Socialist Party, he has been a prominent figure in local and national governance within the Berat region.

Zija Ismaili is an Albanian physician, forensic expert, and political figure. Born in Berat in 1970, he graduated from the University of Tirana's Faculty of Medicine in 1993 and later earned a doctorate in forensic medicine in 2007. Throughout his career, he has served as a general practitioner, director of primary health services in Berat, and a forensic expert at the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Tirana. Politically, he has been a long-time activist for the Democratic Party of Albania and served as a candidate for Mayor of Berat for the 'Bashkë Fitojmë' coalition.

Kreshnik Hajdari is an Albanian politician currently serving as the Mayor of Kuçovë. Born on July 29, 1982, in Berat, he pursued his higher education at the Polytechnic University of Tirana, where he graduated from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering in 2006. Hajdari has held the mayoral office since 2019, focusing on the improvement of public services, efficient municipal management, and sustainable local development. He was re-elected to his position in the 2023 local elections.

Eno Bozdo is an Albanian politician and a member of the Parliament of Albania, currently serving as a political leader for the Berat region and as the Deputy Chair of the Committee on Economy and Finance. A long-time member of the Democratic Party of Albania since 1991, he has held various leadership roles, including serving on the National Council and the party presidency. Previously, Bozdo served as the Deputy Minister of Economy, Trade and Energy from 2005 to 2013 and as the Deputy Mayor of Tirana from 2013 to 2015. He is known for his vocal opposition to government policies regarding economic transparency and market integrity.

Hatixhe Konomi is an Albanian politician currently serving as a Member of Parliament representing the Socialist Party of Albania. She is actively involved in the country's legislative processes and parliamentary diplomacy, frequently representing the Albanian Parliament in international forums such as the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie. Her work focuses on advancing legislative reforms and strengthening cooperation with international partners to support Albania's integration path.

Tomor Alizoti is an Albanian politician and a member of the Democratic Party who has served in the Albanian Parliament since 2021. In his parliamentary capacity, he acts as the deputy chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. Prior to his legislative career, Alizoti worked as a diplomat at the Albanian Embassy in Germany and is an alumnus of the Diplomatic Academy of the Foreign Ministry. He is known for his vocal stance on historical justice, particularly regarding the victims of communism in Albania.

Valbona Zylyftari is an Albanian public official currently serving as the Prefect of Berat County. As the representative of the central government in the region, she oversees the implementation of state policies and coordinates administrative activities across the municipalities of Berat, Dimal, Kuçovë, Poliçan, and Skrapar. Her role involves ensuring the rule of law and facilitating cooperation between local government units and national authorities within the county.

Festime Mjeshtri is an Albanian politician currently serving as the Mayor of Bulqizë. She was elected to the position in the 2023 Albanian local elections, representing the Socialist Party of Albania. Mjeshtri is known for her focus on local development and the green transition, advocating for innovative energy solutions such as solar power in schools and economically vulnerable households. She emphasizes the importance of community participation and talent development within smaller municipalities, positioning her administration as a model for democratic local governance in the Western Balkans.

Rahim Spahiu is an Albanian politician currently serving as the Mayor of Dibër. Representing the Socialist Party of Albania, he oversees the administration of the Dibër municipality, which is located in the northeastern part of the country along the border with North Macedonia. His leadership role involves managing the municipality's diverse administrative units and addressing the challenges of rural development and emigration that affect the region.

Agron Malaj is an Albanian politician who currently serves as a Member of the Albanian Parliament representing Dibër County. He previously served as the Mayor of Mat, a position he resigned from in March 2025 to pursue a parliamentary candidacy in the general elections. Before his political career, Malaj worked as a security guard. His tenure as mayor was marked by local development initiatives and occasional political controversy, including public scrutiny regarding his past and administrative decisions.

Nexhbedin Shehu is an Albanian public official currently serving as the Prefect of Dibër County, a position he has held since his appointment in November 2017. Born in Dibër in 1959, Shehu had a distinguished career in the Albanian Armed Forces, serving as a career officer from 1983 until his retirement in 2013. His military background includes roles as a battalion commander, instructor at the Defense Academy, and senior personnel director within the Ministry of Defense. He is a graduate of the Albanian Military Academy and the Command Academy in Hamburg, Germany, and is fluent in English and German.

Xhelal Mziu is an Albanian politician and academic currently serving as a Member of Parliament. He previously served as the Mayor of Kamëz for three terms from 2007 to 2019, where he was recognized for significant urban development, infrastructure improvements, and international cooperation initiatives. An economist by training, Mziu holds a doctorate in the field and has served as an external professor at the Agricultural University of Tirana. He is a prominent member of the Democratic Party of Albania and has held various leadership roles within the party, including serving as a political leader for the Dibër region.

Emiriana Sako is an Albanian politician currently serving as the Mayor of Durrës. Born in Durrës in 1983, she holds a degree in civil engineering from the Polytechnic University of Tirana and a professional master's degree from Roma Tre University. Before assuming the mayoralty in 2020, she held various administrative roles within the Durrës municipal government, including director of public services and director of public works. She has been re-elected to her position in the 2022 and 2023 local elections.