Albania expels Russian diplomat

Albania has declared <x0non grata” and has expelled a Russian diplomat to Tirana. Albania's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced today that it has expelled the second secretary of the Russian Embassy in Albania, Alexey Krivosheev, on the grounds that it violated anti-Condivus-19 measures.

Official Tirana says that following charges of violations of measures by the diplomat, Ambassador Mikhail Afanasiev expressed concern. But further adds the foreign ministry, unlike the promises, the diplomat has continued with violations of the measures and therefore was declared “non grata” and was expelled.

The Albanian government wants to strengthen friendly relations with the Russian Federation, and regrets that the good will of both sides has been violated by individual, repeated actions by Russian diplomatic personnel in Tirana, in disrespecting measures taken by Albanian authorities, for protecting the population against COVID-19.

Since April 2020, but and early this year, the Albanian government has had continued complaints and complaints on the open violations of measures taken on the part of a diplomat of the Russian Federation embassy in Tirana.

Senior representatives of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs have contacted the Russian Federation Embassy's ambassador to Tirana, Mihail Afanasiev, suggesting concerns about the continuing violations of anti-COVID-19 measures by the diplomat. M The EPJ has welcomed and deeply appreciates the ambassador's fully co-operative role in the matter, with the promise that these acts will not be repeated.

Unfortunately, unlike promises, the diplomat has continued with violations of the measures, despite the expressions of the two sides' good will for not repeating violations.

The repeated challenge of rules and safeguard clauses against pandemic, and the disregard of concerns of related Albanian state institutions, cannot be justified and tolerated further.

Sadly, the Albanian government has made the decision to declare “Person NON Grata” (undesirable person), diplomat Alexey Krivosheev, with the obligation to leave within 72 hours of the moment of official announcement.

We hope that this decision imposed by disrespecting the laws and regulations of the Albanian state, at such a challenging time for the entire globe, will be fully understood by the Russian side, as a significant measure for the protection of health and safety of all citizens within the territory of the Republic of Albania, whether Albanian or not.

We secure the Russian side for our friendly feelings and for our readiness, following the job being launched, to continue to improve relations between our two countries” states the foreign ministry.