A serious complaint has been registered in Vlorë, where businessman Vasil Bedinaj claims he was threatened at gunpoint by a group of more than 10 people and that a demand for 5 million euros was made against him. The incident, according to the version given by him, took place at a hotel in the Orikum area.
Complaint over the incident in Orikum
According to the complaint filed by Bedinaj, the incident happened at around 12:30, when more than 10 people arrived at the hotel premises, most of them armed.
The businessman claims he was threatened with weapons and that the group demanded 5 million euros from him. At this stage, these remain claims reported by him and not facts publicly verified by the authorities.
Claims of a physical confrontation
According to Bedinaj, there was also a physical clash during the episode. After the incident, the people involved immediately left the hotel.
Bedinaj is known as a businessman in Vlorë and for years has also held the post of head of the association of tourism operators for southern Albania.
Police pursuit and crash at the entrance to Vlorë
After the report, Police services went to the scene and began pursuing the suspected individuals.
During this pursuit, two people travelling in a vehicle crashed at the Peshkëpi bridge, at the entrance to Vlorë. The injured were taken by ambulance to hospital.
Preliminary information and the investigation
According to preliminary information, one of the injured sustained multiple injuries to the back and spinal column, while the other person suffered injuries from the crash.
Also according to preliminary information, the two people involved in the crash were arrested and are reported to be from Tirana. Meanwhile, large numbers of police officers have been deployed in several areas of Vlorë to find other people suspected of links to the incident.
The full circumstances remain unclear, while the Police’s full official version of the episode and its dynamics is expected to be clarified by the investigation.
The incident raises serious questions about security in a tourist area such as Orikum, especially when dealing with claims of an armed group and large sums of money.
For the moment, most of the information remains at a preliminary stage, and full verification of the circumstances belongs to the police and procedural investigation.