According to information found on the Website of Albania's Central Elections Commission (CEC), M. Lici was a candidate for the council of the municipality of Shkoder, Shkoder District, in the 2003 local elections (CEC n.d.a). The same document also lists "Mustafa Sulejman Lici" as a candidate for chair of the municipality (ibid.). The party affiliated with Lici's name is "Partia Mendimi I Djatht? Liberal" (ibid.). According to the CEC, Lici received 3.93 per cent of the vote in the race for mayor/chairman (n.d.b) and his party received 3.67 per cent of the vote in the election for councillors, resulting in two elected councillors (CEC n.d.c).

On 5 September 2003, Panorama, a Tirana-based, Albanian-language daily, reported on a 4 September 2003 explosion at Mustafa Lici's house. According to the article, explosives were placed on the roof and in the yard of Lici's house in Kiras precinct, Shkoder (Panorama 5 Sept. 2003). The explosives detonated "just after 2:10 Thursday morning [September 4]" (ibid.). Lici is reported to have stated that the explosions "definitely had a political bent and [were] organized by factions in the government" (ibid.). The Lici house was reported to have sustained "heavy damage" in explosions, however none of the family of seven was hurt (ibid.). Further details of the incident can be found in the attached article, which is the full text translation of the Panorama story provided by the Multilingual Translation Directorate of Translation Services, Public Works and Government Services Canada.

The Panorama article also states the following with regard to Mustafa Lici:

Almost everyone in Shkoder knows Mustafa Lici, or Taten as he is affectionately called. He was born in Shkoder on 17 January 1958 in a family well-known in a city with a nationalist tradition. In 1984, Mustafa Lici, together with his family, was confined by the old regime to the Vlores district. After two months of confinement he was given 25 years of imprisonment for "attempted murder of one of the state figures of that time and high treason." With the arrival of democracy in Albania, he was released from prison. In 1995-1996 he worked as Head of Information Services, Public Order, in Gjirokaster. In the year 2000 he established the Liberal Right Opinion Party, with its head office in Shkoder (5 Sept. 2003).

Information to corroborate this report or further information on Mustafa Lici and/or the explosions, including any subsequent police investigation, could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. Please refer to ALB42919.E of 18 August 2004 for information on the Albanian daily,

Panorama.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Albania. n.d.a. Central Elections Commission (CEC), Tirana. "Municipality of Shkoder: The List for the Council of Municipality/Commune." http://www.cec.org.al/2004/eng/zgjedhvendorefiles/2003/Partite/shkoder/shkoder.htm [Accessed 20 Sept. 2004]

_____. n.d.b. Central Elections Commission (CEC), Tirana. "Final Results for Mayor/Chairman." http://www.cec.org.al/2004/eng/zgjedhvendorefiles/2003/Rezultatet/rezultatet.htm# [Accessed 20 Sept. 2004]

_____. n.d.c. Central Elections Commission (CEC), Tirana. "Final Result for Councillors of Municipality/Commune." http://www.cec.org.al/2004/eng/zgjedhvendorefiles/2003/Rezultatet/rezultatet.htm# [Accessed 20 Sept. 2004]

Panorama [Tirana, in Albanian]. 5 September 2003. Ritvan Dibra. "Attempt on Mustafa Lici with Explosives." Translated by the Multilingual Translation Directorate, Public Works and Government Services Canada. http://www.panorama.com.al/20030905/default.htm [Accessed 24 Aug. 2004]

Attachment

Panorama [Tirana, in Albanian]. 5 September 2003. Ritvan Dibra. "Attempt on Mustafa Lici with Explosives." Translated by the Multilingual Translation Directorate, Public Works and Government Services Canada. http://www.panorama.com.al/20030905/default.htm [Accessed 24 Aug. 2004]

Additional Sources Consulted

Publications, including: Europa World Yearbook, Political Handbook of the World,

Political Parties of the World.

Internet Sites, including: Albanian Daily News, Albanian Human Rights Group, Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), Balkan Human Rights Network, BBC News UK Edition, Dialog, Electionworld.org, Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR, OSCE), South East European Times.