"The Çopja group has carried out killings on orders from the government", a strong statement by ‘Fania’ from Berat in a UK court”

What happened?

Irfan Azizi stated at Westminster Magistrates' Court that he was the target of a serious attack on November 29, 2020, where he was shot with around 30 bullets from a Kalashnikov, leaving him seriously injured.

According to his testimony, the mastermind of the assassination is Talo Çela, whom he identifies as a former friend turned adversary.

In the same testimony, as the Daily Mail reports, Azizi also made serious allegations, saying that the Çopjats committed murders “on the orders of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Interior.”

“Those people have carried out killings for the Prime Minister on his orders, and also for the Minister of the Interior. I have evidence. They do not warn you when they are going to kill you; they just come. The first time they came to shoot me, they did not warn me and did not threaten me.”

These statements remain unconfirmed by authorities and are part of the extradition trial.

context

The statements were made during a court proceeding in the United Kingdom, where Azizi is opposing extradition to Albania, claiming that he risks his life and that of his family if he returns.

He argued that he was the victim of an assassination attempt and that he possesses information about the involvement of criminal groups in serious events.

British authorities are examining his testimony as part of the asylum and extradition procedure, while his claims have not been confirmed as judicial facts.

GENESIS

His former friend, Talo Çela, attempted to kill him in Poshnje, Berat, on the orders of the brothers Franc and Hajdar Çopja. According to the SPAK file, Azizi explained that Talo Çela was informed that he was the person who had provided the cars used in the murder of Emiljano Ramazan and his brother, Bujar Çela.

They also suspected that Azizi may have helped Nuredin Dumani by providing him with stolen cars to carry out the events in Durrës where members of the criminal organization Çopja were killed. There were also suspicions that Azizi may have sheltered Nuredin Dumani after the murders.

Sky ECC intercepts revealed that Talo Çela had gone to Berat almost every day for almost 2 weeks, to observe Irfan Haziz's movements and consequently, to organize the November 2020 assassination.

From the SKY ECC conversations, Talo Çela appears as the main coordinator of the assassination, giving instructions for the elimination of Irfan Aziz.

Opposition reaction

The leader of the Democratic Party, Sali Berisha, directly accused Taulant Balla of involvement in serious crimes.

From the press conference, while referring to Aziz's testimony, the leading democrat said that there are official documents that prove Balla and Rama's connections with Çela.

"It is documented with official documents that Taulant Balla has made direct contact for electoral problems between the Çela cartel and Edi Rama. It is proven with recordings that he has ordered murders," Berisha said.

What happened to the Çopjat?

The group known as Çopjat, made up of brothers Hajdar Çopja and Franc Çopja, has been targeted by Albanian and international authorities as part of an organized crime investigation. Considerable assets, including cryptocurrencies, properties and bank accounts, have been seized against them, while members of the group have been arrested and convicted in various European countries for serious criminal offenses.

Hajdar Çopja, the leader of the group, also known as "Dari", is accused of killing at least 6 people. Hajdar Çopja was arrested in 2024 in the United Arab Emirates after a confrontation that resulted in injuries and was sentenced to 4 years in prison.

Franc Çopjas was arrested in one of the Islamic Republics, to be later extradited to Belgium, where he was convicted of murder. While Talo Çela remains wanted by Albanian authorities, he too for a series of serious crimes that remain unsolved.