2026-08-15 17:45:00 / AKTUALITET ALFA PRESS

Ermir Kërtezi, also known as "Mir Bitoci", is the person who was targeted in the assassination attempt that occurred this afternoon in a bar in Elbasan.

Kërtezi, who has been living outside Albania for years, is a well-known name in the chronicles of Elbasan, especially due to his mention in the events and criminal conflicts of the 1997 unrest and the years that followed.

His name appears in the chronicles of the time in a period when Elbasan was engulfed in chaos and the activity of armed groups after the collapse of pyramid schemes. During that period, the city faced a strong wave of crime, while several armed groups were involved in clashes and serious incidents.

During the same period, one of the most well-known names in the criminal world in Elbasan was Eduart Peqini, known as “Mandela,” who led an armed group that became known for a series of serious criminal acts during the 1997 riots.

Qertezi, meanwhile, left Albania and has been living abroad for years. His return to Elbasan has now become the subject of a serious criminal incident.

Footage provided by the bar shows the moment when the perpetrator, who was outside, gets up and approaches Kërtez, pointing the gun at him. He tries to shoot him, but the gun does not work. Kërtez reacts immediately, moves away from the gun and manages to leave the scene.

The perpetrator was arrested a few hours later by the police, while investigations continue to uncover the motive for the assassination and whether the incident is related to old conflicts or more recent clashes.

It is precisely Kërtez's past in the chronicles of Elbasan and the fact that he has been living abroad for years that are now the focus of investigators, who are also verifying the circumstances of his return to the city and the reason why he became the target of the attack.

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