Shkodra's chairman surrendered after charges of detention in Italy

The mayor of Shkodra, Valdrin Peter, has resigned from office following the scandal that appeared in the media around him.

He says he will handle legal cases about a 17-year-old event in Italy.

Peter's Complete Declaration

Dear friends, fellow citizens, citizens of Shkodra City Hall, members of the SP, my associates...

I have been in the midst of a media storm in recent days, where accusations and gossip replaced facts and truth.

An entire banal event that took place between my co-student friends, in which I have no guilt and responsibility, and I didn't care, 17 years ago at the age of 20, was drawn out of context, and all around it were lynching charges beyond any moral and human spray.

I never thought that one day I would face such accusations. And no matter how convinced I am in my person's legal innocence and moral purity, I regret that such slander has caused great pain in me and my family and that I have never been part of this category that I am accused of today.

In these conditions, my attention and energy will now be focused entirely on the solution and legal clarification of this event of 17 years ago, events that I have not had in my knowledge any legal responsibility at the time.

Aware of the importance of the political image and determined that this legal clarification would take place in the position of ordinary citizen, without being a burden on anyone, I decide to resign from taking office of Mayor Shkodra.

I am grateful to you all for the help and support you gave me in the campaign!

It was a beautiful dream to give Shkodra what she deserved. But the fates of a city should never be inexorably linked to an individual's fate, whatever it is.

Finally, I am forever grateful to all those who supported me or sent solidarity messages in these difficult days for me.

I wish you all the best for you and your family!