Dritan Prifti - Wikiwand

Albanian politician (1968–2017)

Dritan Prifti

Minister of Economy, Trade and Energy
In office 2009–2010
President	Bamir Topi
Prime Minister	Sali Berisha
Preceded by	Genc Ruli
Succeeded by	Ilir Meta
Member of the Parliament of Albania
In office 2005–2017
Constituency	Fier
General Director of the Albanian Power Corporation (KESH)
In office 2000–2001

Personal details
Born	(1968-08-27)27 August 1968 Berat, PR Albania
Died	12 October 2017(2017-10-12) (aged 49) Tirana, Albania
Party	Socialist Movement for Integration
Children	4
Alma mater	University of Tirana University of New Mexico (MBA) Harvard Kennedy School (MPA)^[1]
Occupation	Politician

Dritan Prifti (27 August 1968 - 12 October 2017) was an Albanian politician and government official, who served as director of the Albanian Power Corporation (KESH) and as Minister of Economy, Trade and Energy of Albania.^[2]^[3]^[4]

Prifti was born on 27 August 1968 in Berat, where he also completed his primary education.^[3]

He pursued higher education at Harvard University in the USA, graduating with excellent results.^[3] In 1997 he returned from the US to Albania and became involved in politics.

From 1997 to 1999, Prifti served as Chief of Cabinet in the Ministry of Finance, and subsequently as Chief of Cabinet in the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.^[5]^[4]

In 2000, he was appointed director of the KESH.^[5]^[2]

In 2005, he joined the Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI) and won a parliamentary seat representing Fier.^[3]

Following the 2009 parliamentary elections, Prifti was elected as MP for the Socialist Movement for Integration and served as Minister of Economy, Trade and Energy from 2009 to 2010.^[5]

Prifti was the father of four children.^[2] He died October 12, 2017, after a months long battle with leukemia.^[6]^[7]

Meta–Prifti video

While serving as Minister of Economy, Prifti gained widespread attention in January 2011, when a video recording was made public showing a conversation held in March 2010 between him and Ilir Meta (then Deputy Prime Minister of Albania).^[8]^[9] The video allegedly showed Meta asking Prifti to manipulate procurement pocedures, concessions, and auctions in return for large amounts of money.^[10] Meta is also overheard bragging that because he is on good terms with Chief Justice Shpresa Becaj, after having hired her daughter as a diplomat at an embassy, he can influence the decision of the court.^[9]

During the 2011 trial of Ilir Meta at the High Court, after three Albanian experts declared the video as manipulated, Meta was exonerated. Earlier forensic analyses by British and American experts commissioned by the prosecution had concluded the recording was authentic, but the court ruled that analysis inadmissible.^[11] Prifti strongly defended the authenticity of the recording, publicly challenged the experts’ conclusion, and called for an independent forensic analysis by law enforcement experts of EU countries.^[12]

References

↑ https://lajmetshqip.com/prapaskenat-prifti-para-shkarkimit-takim-sekret-me-berishen/
1 2 3 "Profil/ Kush ishte Dritan Prifti, politikani i videoskandaleve të mëdha". tiranapost.al. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
1 2 3 4 "Kush ishte Dritan Prifti, studentii Harvardit që u kthye në 1997 - Shqiptarja.com". shqiptarja.com (in Albanian). Retrieved 15 April 2026.
1 2 "PROFIL/ Kush ishte Dritan Prifti, njeriu që tronditi jetën politike shqiptare" (in Albanian). Retrieved 15 April 2026.
1 2 3 "Profil/ Kush ishte Dritan Prifti, nga deklarata për votën e 71-të e Berishës në 2009 te video e 21 Janarit". www.panorama.com.al (in Albanian). 15 April 2026. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
↑ "Former Minister Dritan Prifti passes away". Tv Klan (in Albanian). 12 October 2017. Retrieved 11 April 2026.
↑ "Oranews.tv - Shuhet Dritan Prifti, vuante nga një sëmundje e rëndë në gjak". Oranews. Archived from the original on 15 October 2017. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
↑ "Meta and Prifti corruption scandal (disputed videotape evidence)". Transparency.org. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
1 2 Likmeta, Besar (15 February 2011). "Albania Video Corruption Scandal Takes Hollywood Twist". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 15 April 2026. Meta is overheard saying that because he is on good terms with Chief Justice Shpresa Becaj after having hired her daughter as a diplomat at an embassy, he can influence the decision of the court.
↑ "Corruption Caught on Tape Sets Albania on Fire Once More | ERCAS". European Research Centre for Anti-corruption and State-Building (ERCAS). Archived from the original on 19 May 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
↑ Likmeta, Besar (1 November 2011). "Albanian Experts Query Video in Meta Corruption Case". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 15 April 2026. An earlier review of the video was conducted by British and American experts called by the prosecution. This review stated that the tape was authentic but the court has since dismissed their review as inadmissible.
↑ "Ekspertët: Videopërgjimi Meta-Prifti, jo origjinal. Prifti: Gjykata të kërkojë ekspertizë nga policitë e BE-së". Gazeta Panorama (in Albanian). 15 April 2026. Retrieved 15 April 2026.

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