Under tight security measures and with a carefully selected guest list, the U.S. Embassy held a welcome reception in Tirana for Ambassador Eric Wendt. The event brought together figures from politics, government, the justice system and religious communities, while attention focused not only on those who entered the hall, but also on the notable absences.
Around 130 guests at a high-profile event
According to reporting from the scene, around 130 people were invited to a hotel in the former Blloku area. Among them was the President of the Republic, Bajram Begaj.
Politicians from both camps attended the reception, along with ministers, state officials, heads of justice institutions and other public figures considered close to the U.S. Embassy in Tirana.
Berisha off the list, Bardhi and Bylykbashi seen entering
One of the details that drew the most attention was the absence of Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha. He had previously made it known that he had not received an invitation to the reception.
However, Gazment Bardhi, head of the DP parliamentary group, and lawmaker Oerd Bylykbashi were filmed entering the event. Their presence showed that the opposition was not entirely absent from the reception, even if it was not represented at the highest political level.
Who from the majority was present and who was absent
Taulant Balla, head of the Socialist parliamentary group, was also on the guest list, but did not attend because he is in Finland.
Also at the reception were former parliament speaker Elisa Spiropali and Bledi Çuçi, who heads the parliamentary committee on internal affairs and defense. Foreign Minister Ferit Hoxha also arrived later, one of the officials who, according to the official version, had met Wendt earlier after his arrival in Tirana.
Ministers, justice officials and religious representatives in the same hall
As the minutes passed, other figures from public institutions also arrived at the gathering. Among the names mentioned were Energy and Infrastructure Minister Enea Karakaçi, Culture Minister Blendi Gonxhe, Justice Minister Toni Gogu, as well as Mirela Kumbaro.
The event also included representatives of religious communities. Among the last to arrive was the World Bektashi Leader, Baba Mondi. The presence of this broad spectrum of guests turned the reception into a meeting with political and institutional weight, beyond the formal welcome protocol.
More than a routine ceremony, the reception for Eric Wendt was also read as a reflection of relationships, closeness and distance within Albanian politics and institutions.
For precisely this reason, the guest list and the absences in the hall drew as much attention as the diplomatic event itself.