Main events until 3:00 PM

The Special Court of Appeals upholds the decision to sentence the former mayor of Durrës, Vangjush Dako, to 4 years in prison and Bulku to 2 years.

Democratic Party Chairman Sali Berisha, in his speech at the Parliamentary Group meeting, said that the party he leads supports the integration of the country, but based on standards.

Berisha said that Albania does not meet any of the integration conditions except for the geostrategic position that makes it the gateway to the EU.

Berisha said that the integration committee was removed from the opposition so that it would not present its positions.

"The Integration Committee was the committee where the opposition would present all its positions.

Our thesis is that Albania does not meet any of the integration conditions except for the geostrategic position, we will declare it in every country. 90% of the representatives of the 20 thousand voters are party members, this constitutes the maximum concentration of power in one hand.

Albania does not meet any of the conditions because, as sanctioned in the resolution, Albania has an electoral farce, Albania has become a national and regional epicenter of hard drug trafficking.

We support the integration process, but we declare that it does not represent any standard other than the geostrategic one, which this time is turning out to be good because it was once prey.

The EU sees Albania as the gateway to Europe.

"We support integration based on standards," Berisha said./ CNA

 

The Graceful Synod of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania, under the leadership of His Beatitude, Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania, Joan, convened today, September 16, 2025, at the headquarters of the Synodal Center of the Graceful Archbishopric of Tirana, in accordance with the Statute of the Church, and held the following elections:

He elected with full votes as Metropolitan of Gjirokastra: His Grace, the current Metropolitan of Amantia, His Grace Nathanael. The enthronement of the new Metropolitan will take place on September 20, 2025, at 11:00, in the Cathedral Church of the Resurrection of Christ, in Gjirokastra.

METROPOLITAN OF GJIROKASTRA, HIS HOLINESS NATHANAILI (Stergiu)

His Grace, Metropolitan of Gjirokastra, Mr. Nathanail (Stergiu), was born in Taksiarhas, Trikala, in 1957. He completed his studies at the "Athoniadha" high school on Mount Athos (1978) and at the Faculty of Theology of the "Aristotle" University of Thessaloniki (1982).

He was tonsured a monk at the Gracious Monastery of the Great Lavra of the Holy Mountain (1979), ordained deacon (1982) and priest (1987) by His Grace, Bishop of Rodostoli, Chrysostomos.

From 1991 to 2012, he served as a parish priest, spiritual director and preacher in the Holy Metropolis of Gjirokastra, as well as a teacher at the "Holy Cross" church high school in Gjirokastra.

In January 2012, he received the episcopal rank of priesthood from our late Archbishop Anastasios, and was entrusted with the care of the newly built Cathedral Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Tirana. He has also served to this day as the Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod of our Church.

On April 7, 2016, the Episcopate of Amantia was elevated to the rank of Metropolitanate and Bishop Nathanail was appointed its Titular Metropolitan. He is a member of the executive board of the "Orthodox Evangelization Clinic" Foundation./ CNA

After the meeting, the Holy Synod elected the new Metropolitan of Korça, Mr. Anastas.

The Graceful Synod of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania, under the leadership of His Beatitude, Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës and all Albania, Mr. Joan, met today, September 16, 2025, at the Synodal Center of the Graceful Archbishopric of Tirana, in accordance with the Statute of the Church, and held the following elections:

He elected with full votes as Metropolitan of Gjirokastra, His Grace, the current Metropolitan of Amantia, Mr. Nathanail. The enthronement of the new Metropolitan will take place on September 20, 2025, at 11:00, in the Cathedral Church of the Resurrection of Christ, in Gjirokastra.

He elected with full votes as Metropolitan of Korça, His Grace, the current Bishop of Kruja, Mr. Anastas. The enthronement of the new Metropolitan will take place on September 27, 2025, at 11:00, in the Cathedral Church of the Resurrection of Christ, in Korça.

Following this, the two newly elected Metropolitans gave the great message in the chapel of the Synodal Center.

Metropolitan of Korça Mr. Anastas (Mamaj)

His Grace, Metropolitan of Korça, Mr. Anastas (Mamaj), was born in Vlora, in 1979. He completed his studies at the Department of Greek Language at the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Athens (1999), graduated from the “Ismail Qemali” University of Vlora and received a degree in Business Administration (MSc) (2001-2005). He later studied at the “Resurrection of Christ” Theological Academy (2017) and at the Department of Theology and Culture at LOGOS University College, where he received a degree (BSc) in Social Theological Studies and Religious Sciences (2023).

In the years 2005-2009 he held important positions at the Italo-Albanian Bank and from 2009 to 2017 he held management positions at Union Bank. From 2006 to 2014 he was a member of the Clerical-Laity Council of the Orthodox Church of Albania and a close associate of the late Metropolitan of Berat, Vlora and Kanina, Mr. Ignat.

He was ordained deacon on January 22, 2018 by His Beatitude, Archbishop Mr. Anastas, was ordained priest on October 20, 2019, and received the title of Archimandrite on August 9, 2020.

From 2017 to the present day, he contributes to the administration of the church property and economic activities of the Church of Albania. He is the Executive Director of the University Institution “LOGOS”, representative of the Archbishop on the Executive Council and member of the Administrative Council of the “Orthodox Evangelization Clinic” Foundation. He is also an advisor to the “Frymë Dashurie” Educational Institution and since December 3, he serves as Protosingjel of the Archbishopric of Tirana and Durrës. In addition to his native language, he speaks Greek and Italian./ CNA

The Speaker of the Assembly, Niko Peleshi, announced today in the parliamentary session the names of the deputy speakers of the Assembly.

The Deputy Speakers of the Assembly are Klodiana Spahiu and Argon Gjekmarkaj. Among other things, he also announced the names of the respective Secretariats./ CNA