Aruba named in allegations, but former Albanian official says he has never visited the island

TIRANA – Former Albanian minister and senior politician Damian Gjiknuri has publicly responded for the first time after his name was linked to an alleged meeting with drug traffickers in Aruba. Gjiknuri strongly denies the allegations, stating that he has never visited Aruba and has never met any of the individuals mentioned in the claims.

In a public statement, Gjiknuri described the accusations made by lawyer Arben Llangozi as false and defamatory. He said the allegations are misleading the public and are unsupported by any evidence.

"I declare with full responsibility that I have never been to Aruba, have never met the people referred to, and have never had any connection with them," Gjiknuri stated.

The former official said that because of the public positions he has held throughout his career, he has repeatedly been subjected to extensive investigations by specialized judicial authorities. According to Gjiknuri, every investigation has confirmed his integrity and found no evidence of wrongdoing.

He also publicly challenged lawyer Arben Llangozi to present evidence supporting his claims. If no evidence exists, Gjiknuri said Llangozi should publicly withdraw his statements and surrender his law license.

Meanwhile, Gjiknuri confirmed that he has instructed his legal team to prepare a defamation lawsuit against Llangozi. He further noted that the lawyer had previously faced defamation proceedings and ultimately accepted a court ruling after withdrawing his appeal.

The case has drawn international attention because Aruba was mentioned as the alleged location of the meeting with traffickers. As of now, no public evidence has been presented confirming that Gjiknuri ever visited Aruba or that such a meeting took place.